Over 100 women working in a cable factory in Kenitra suffered symptoms of asphyxiation and respiratory distress after a gas leak on Monday night, prompting a rush to the emergency department of the local hospital.
A total of 145 patients, all factory workers, were treated in the Zemmouri Regional Hospital emergency department, with patients reporting difficulty breathing and other related symptoms upon arrival.
“The hospital has an emergency protocol that enables us to control such situations,” hospital director, Yassine Hafiani told Hespress. “The treatments included oxygen therapy and medications to calm patients experiencing panic.”
The patients were treated and discharged this morning.
The mass asphyxiation was caused by a gas leak at the factory, though the exact type of gas has not yet been identified, and Kenitra police have yet to disclose the exact cause of the accident.
Kenitra has a history of factory-related hazards, last of which occurred in February at an automotive parts factory, when a similar gas led to the near asphyxiation of at least 25 workers.
The fact that this is not an isolated incident fueled the widespread online outrage.As demands for a thorough investigation into the incident grew louder, with some social media users urging the government to introduce more rigorous industrial safety standards and to take immediate action against those responsible.
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