On Thursday, 59 students and one woman felt sick after smelling bad fumes from a tank at a company in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. Police said the tank belonged to JSW Energy’s thermal power plant, but the company claimed nothing had happened on their property. The students, from Jaigad Vidya Mandir school near the plant, started to feel unwell after the fumes spread. Out of 250 students at the school, 53 boys, six girls, and one woman were taken to hospitals because they had eye irritation, felt restless, and felt sick to their stomachs.
Three of the students were put in the ICU, but thankfully, they are stable. They have been feeling more restless, nauseous, and reported a worse stomach ache than the others. Health officials stated the students are being carefully watched and may go home on Friday afternoon, after doctors check them thoroughly.
The bad smells were caused by ethyl mercaptan, a colorless and smelly liquid that helps to easily detect gas leaks and is used in making plastics and some insecticides. JSW Energy reassured the public, stating, “We care about the safety of our workers and the community. We follow strict safety rules and always check our work to keep people safe.” They emphasized their commitment to preventing any incidents that could harm anyone in the area
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