A tragic gas leak at a pharmaceutical company in Palghar district, Maharashtra, has resulted in the deaths of four workers and left two others in serious condition. The incident occurred on Thursday, August 21, 2025, at Medley Pharma, situated in the Tarapur-Boisar industrial area, approximately 130 km from Mumbai.

According to officials, the gas leak, involving nitrogen gas, occurred between 2:30 PM and 3:00 PM in one of the units of the company. Upon exposure to the gas, six workers were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital. Tragically, four of them were declared dead upon arrival. The two surviving workers have been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a local hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment.

Vivekanand Kadam, Chief of Palghar district disaster management cell, confirmed the details of the incident. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the gas leak. The incident has raised concerns about safety protocols and measures within pharmaceutical companies and other industrial units in the region.

The Tarapur-Boisar industrial area has been the site of similar incidents in the past. In September 2022, a toxic gas leak at a chemical unit in the same area resulted in one worker's death and hospitalization of four others. Workers present at the unit at the time complained of giddiness and other complications following the gas leakage.

Other industrial accidents in Maharashtra this year include a fire at a factory in Solapur district in May 2025, which killed eight people. A short circuit was suspected to be the cause of the blaze at the Central Textile Mills. In February 2025, an explosion at a fireworks factory in Nagpur district killed two and injured three. Earlier in January 2025, a blast at an ordnance plant in Bhandara district claimed the lives of eight people and injured seven others. These incidents highlight the critical need for stringent safety regulations and their rigorous enforcement to prevent such tragedies in the future.