Over 600 Pilgrims Hospitalized After Iraq Chlorine Gas Leak

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More than 600 pilgrims in Iraq were briefly hospitalized with breathing issues after inhaling chlorine gas caused by a leak at a water treatment facility, officials announced Sunday. The incident occurred overnight along the route connecting the two Shia holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, situated in central and southern Iraq.

This year, millions of Shiite Muslims are expected to travel to Karbala to visit the shrines of Imam Hussein (RA) and his brother Abbas (RA). These journeys coincide with the observance of Arbaeen, marking 40 days of mourning for Hussein (RA), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Iraq’s health authorities reported that “621 cases of breathing difficulties were recorded due to a chlorine leak in Karbala.” They confirmed that all affected individuals received proper treatment and were released in good condition. Security forces escorting pilgrims indicated that the leak originated from a chlorine release at a water station along the Karbala-Najaf road.

Decades of conflict and corruption have left much of Iraq’s infrastructure in disrepair, often resulting in neglected safety standards. Earlier this summer, a devastating fire at a shopping mall in Kut caused the deaths of over 60 people, many of whom suffocated in the bathrooms, according to officials.