A chlorine leak at a water treatment plant in Iraq has hospitalised more than 600 Shiite pilgrims making the holy journey between Najaf and Karbala, authorities confirmed on Sunday.
The incident happened overnight on the Karbala–Najaf road — a key route for millions of pilgrims visiting the shrines of Imam Hussein and his brother Abbas during the Arbaeen mourning period.
Iraq’s health ministry said 621 cases of asphyxia were recorded. Thankfully, all patients received prompt treatment and were discharged in good health.
Security forces tasked with protecting pilgrims said the leak came from a malfunction at a water station along the route.
The incident is another grim reminder of Iraq’s crumbling infrastructure. Years of conflict, corruption, and weak safety enforcement have left the country prone to such disasters.
Only last month, a huge fire at a shopping mall in Kut killed over 60 people, many of whom suffocated inside the building’s toilets.
