362 Injured in Dezful Gas Leak

A chlorine gas leak in Dezful, Khuzestan Province on Saturday poisoned 362 people, according to local authorities.

All those affected were transferred to hospitals.

Local news website Khouz News quoted Shahyar Mirkheshti, head of the Khuzestan Emergency Medical Services Center as saying that the leak was reported at 9:19 pm.

Four emergency teams were dispatched to the affected area. The source of the leak was a 700 kilogram chlorine gas capsule in a storage facility. Habibollah Assefi, Khuzestan’s governor, told Mehr News Agency that investigators suspect foul play. “We’re operating on the assumption that this was intentionally caused, but no arrests have been made so far,” he said. Assefi said those affected by the leak were doing well and were expected to be discharged by Sunday evening.