Nashik: Twenty-two people died after oxygen supply was halted for half an hour following a leak in an oxygen tanker outside a hospital in Maharashtra’s Nashik on Tuesday, reports said.

The incident took place in the Dr Zakir Hussain Hospital run by the Nashik Municipal Corporation, which is among the biggest civic bodies in the state, and one of the worst COVID-19 hotspots in the state.

Visuals from the hospital show gas leaking from the tanker and covering the area in white fumes. Fire trucks were rushed to the spot to stop the leak.

Following certain technical issues which caused a variation in the pressure of the oxygen being administered in the ward, the patients gasped for breath and succumbed on the ventilator beds, IANS reported.

Even as stunned relatives slammed the civic authorities, NMC Municipal Commissioner Kailash Jadhav ordered a probe into the incident and assured action against all found guilty of lapses.

BJP’s Leader of Opposition (Council) Pravin Darekar attacked the Maha Vikas Aghadi government and demanded lodging of cases under culpable homicide against those found responsible.

To control the outrage and uproar building up after the incident, the Nashik Police tightened security in and around the hospital premises.

Several states are facing a shortage of medical oxygen. In Maharashtra, 58,924 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the last 24 hours. ( ANI )

#WATCH | An Oxygen tanker leaked while tankers were being filled at Dr Zakir Hussain Hospital in Nashik, Maharashtra. Officials are present at the spot, operation to contain the leak is underway. Details awaited. pic.twitter.com/zsxnJscmBp

— ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2021