Several people have been hospitalised after a gas leak at a fertiliser manufacturing unit at Ennore in Chennai, PTI reported.

Around 11.45 pm on Tuesday, an odour spread across the neighbourhood where the Coromandel International Limited factory is located.

The residents complained of unease, nausea and dizziness and were taken to nearby hospitals.

Sixteen ambulances were deployed to ferry them to hospitals, The Times of India reported, adding that the doctors said the condition of all those hospitalised was stable. The pungent odour was the result of a pressure drop in the pipeline around the storage terminal at the facility that manufactures Ammonium Phosphate Potash Sulphate, according to the newspaper.

In a statement, Coromandel International Limited said that the leak has been found and stopped, reported the Hindustan Times.

“During the process, few members in the local community expressed discomfort and were given medical attention immediately,” the company said in a statement. “All are safe and normalcy is restored. We have informed relevant authorities about the incident. Coromandel has always adhered to the highest safety standards and emergency response system.”