30 hospitalized after chlorine gas leak in Brazil

Chlorine gas leaked from a petrochemical plant has sent 30 people to the hospital in northeastern Brazil.

Chlorine gas leaked from a petrochemical plant has sent 30 people to the hospital in northeastern Brazil.

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Children and elderly are among those hospitalized with difficulty breathing and a burning sensation in the eyes and mouth. Braskem SA said in a statement that it detected the leak Saturday night after an incident at its unit in the city of Maceio.

The company said it quickly controlled the leak and denied it was caused by an explosion.

Globo TV's G1 website said those hospitalized were not in serious condition and would remain under observation. Braskem is South America's largest petrochemical company and is controlled by Brazilian holding group Odebrecht SA.