More than 600 Shia pilgrims hospitalised due to chlorine gas leak in Iraq
More than 600 Shia pilgrims in Iraq were briefly hospitalized due to respiratory problems caused by inhaling chlorine gas from a leak at a water treatment station. The incident occurred overnight on the route between the two Shiite holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, where millions of pilgrims travel annually to commemorate Arbaeen, the 40-day mourning period for Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
Iraq’s health ministry reported 621 cases of asphyxia following the chlorine leak, all of whom received necessary medical care and were discharged in good health. Security forces said the chlorine leak was caused by a malfunction at the water station on the Karbala-Najaf road. This incident highlights ongoing challenges in Iraq’s infrastructure, which is often in disrepair due to decades of conflict and corruption.
