Chlorine gas leak hospitalizes over 600 Shia pilgrims in Iraq, reports indicate; incident occurs during the night linking the two holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.
Chlorine Gas Leak Affects Over 600 Shia Pilgrims in Iraq
A chlorine gas leak at a water treatment plant on the Karbala–Najaf road in Iraq hospitalized over 600 Shia pilgrims with respiratory problems on August 10, 2025. The leak occurred on a main route used by millions of pilgrims traveling between the two holy cities to mark Arbaeen, a major Shiite mourning ritual.
The health ministry reported 621 cases of asphyxia due to inhaling chlorine gas, but all affected individuals received treatment and were discharged in good health. The chlorine gas caused tissue damage and inflammation in the respiratory tract, producing symptoms like burning sensations, redness, watering eyes, and sore throat.
This incident highlights ongoing infrastructure safety challenges in Iraq, where decades of conflict and corruption have left many facilities in disrepair with lax adherence to safety standards. In July 2025, a deadly fire at a shopping mall in Kut killed more than 60 people, illustrating broader public safety concerns.
The chlorine leak occurred from a water station on the Karbala-Najaf Road, and it affected mainly Shia pilgrims traveling to Karbala for Arbaeen observances, a significant religious event. Despite the severity of exposure to chlorine gas, all hospitalized were treated successfully and discharged.
This leak incident is part of a recent pattern of safety incidents in Iraq's infrastructure, reflecting urgent needs for improved maintenance and safety oversight to protect public health during major religious gatherings and beyond.
Karbala houses the shrines of Imam Hussein and his brother Abbas, revered figures in Shia Islam, and millions of Shia Muslims are expected to travel to Karbala this year to mark the Arbaeen. The pilgrims are observing a 40-day period of mourning for the death of Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
- The ongoing conflict and corruption in Iraq, spanning decades, have resulted in lax adherence to safety standards, leading to a hazardous state of facilities, as demonstrated by the chlorine gas leak incident that affected over 600 Shia pilgrims.
- The health-and-wellness sector in Iraq faces significant challenges, with chlorine gas causing medical-conditions like respiratory problems and tissue damage, as seen in the August 10, 2025, incident on the Karbala–Najaf road.
- This incident reveals a pattern of safety incidents in Iraq's infrastructure and highlights the need for improved maintenance and oversight to ensure public health and wellness, particularly during major religious gatherings such as the Arbaeen.
- Crime-and-justice authorities should increase their focus on ensuring the safety of critical infrastructure in Iraq and hold those responsible accountable, in light of the ongoing safety concerns like the chlorine gas leak and the deadly fire at a shopping mall in Kut.
