A gas leak incident in a factory left a worker dead in Fatehgarh Channa village of Barnala on Sunday morning. Three others were hospitalised, officials said. The mishap took place in IOL Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Limited at around 5.30 am, Barnala DSP Satvir Singh said. A preliminary investigation suggested that the leaked gas appeared to be hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), a highly toxic substance, and that the leakage was caused by an excessive use of hydrochloric acid (HCl) during a procedural operation, the official said. Anmol Chhimpa, a resident of Phoolkan in Haryana, was pronounced dead at the site. His body has been sent to the Barnala civil hospital for a post-mortem examination. The three workers found unconscious were taken to the BMC hospital in Barnala, from where two of them were referred to the CMC Hospital in Ludhiana. Those hospitalised in Ludhiana were Yugam Khanna from Hisar and Vikas Sharma from Maujgarh in Fazilka district. Lovepreet Singh from Fatehgarh Channa was discharged from the Barnala hospital. DSP Satvir Singh said police officials, including Inspector Lakhveer Singh from the Dhanaula police station, arrived at the factory after being alerted by company personnel. According to an initial investigation report by the deputy director of factories, Sahil Goyal, the leakage was accidental and no one was at fault, the DSP said. SDM Harpreet Singh Atwal assured that the families of the victims would receive support and financial assistance. He said the family of the deceased had informed that it didn’t want any legal action in the case. The deceased’s family will receive financial support as per the company policy, officials said. SDM Atwal further said the leakage was contained to a single unit. “The situation is currently under control. Residents of the nearby villages need not worry,” he said. “A thorough investigation into the reason behind the incident will be conducted and an appropriate action will follow,” he added.