At least nine people were killed and ten others were rushed to hospitals after inhaling toxic gas inside a factory in Punjab’s Ludhiana, northern India.

Xinhua reported that the gas leak incident was reported from the factory situated on in the Sahnewal area, adding that the entire area has been cordoned off and teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been dispatched for a rescue operation.

“The NDRF team is present at the spot to evacuate the people and will conduct the rescue operation. Nine people died in this incident and 11 are sick,” said Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Ludhiana West area Swati Tiwana.

Those who fell sick have been admitted to a hospital, she said, adding that the area where the incident occurred was thickly populated.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency