Dhaka, Aug 23 (IANS): At least 35 people fell ill after inhaling gas leaking from a tank of a fertilizer factory in Chittagong in Bangladesh, police said on Tuesday.

The leakage from a reserve container started at around 10.30 p.m. on Monday in Anwara, an official said. One of the three containers stored 500 tonnes of ammonium phosphate.

Police officer Mohammad Alamgir confirmed that the gas was spreading from the factory, bdnews24.com reported. The gas has spread across to the other bank of the river Karnaphuli.

Chittagong Medical College Hospital Police Camp official Pankaj Barhua confirmed that at least 35 were hospitalized.

Panic gripped the entire areas adjacent to the factory as more and more people suffered after smelling the gas. Police and fire crew rushed to the area.

Idris Ali, an Associate Professor at the Government Hazi Mohammad Mohsin College's chemistry department, said exposure to ammonia could cause slackening, vomiting and breathing problems.