Dhanbad (Jharkhand), Dec 4 : Two women have died and around 20 others have fallen ill after inhaling toxic gas leaking for the past two days from an underground fire at a closed coal mine in Kenduadih in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district, officials said on Thursday.

The leak has affected nearly 10,000 residents in Rajput Basti, Masjid Mohalla, Officer Colony, and the surrounding areas of Dhanbad.

As the situation worsened, several families fled their homes, while Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) made repeated public announcements urging residents to evacuate. The company has set up temporary relief camps at two locations for displaced families.

The leak began on Wednesday from the abandoned mine near the Childrenâ??s Park in Kenduadih. Residents complained of severe eye irritation, breathlessness and other symptoms, leading to multiple hospitalisations.

The administration has taken note of the issue and said a solution will be found soon.

Priyanka Devi died on Wednesday evening, while Lalita Devi succumbed on Thursday.

Officials suspect that carbon monoxide or another toxic gas from the underground colliery may be the reason behind the deaths, though the exact cause will be confirmed only after the post-mortem examination.

Tension escalated on Thursday as locals staged a protest, accusing the BCCL of negligence. They blocked the Dhanbad-Ranchi main road, burned tyres and raised slogans against the district administration and the company. Protesters said they would continue the blockade until affected families are relocated to safer areas and compensated.

BCCL Project Officer Lakhan Lal Barnwal said the gas had been trapped under pressure in the mine, which has been closed for nearly 15 years, and is now escaping through cracks, impacting an estimated 400-foot radius.

Putki-Balihati Colliery Area General Manager G.C. Saha said the locality had already been classified as fire-affected and added that a permanent solution would require complete evacuation. The safe relocation of residents is currently underway, he said.

/IANS