In the Bulandinsky district of the Akmola region, six workers from LLP "Makinskaya Poultry Farm" were hospitalised with a preliminary diagnosis of chlorine poisoning after a night shift.
According to Cmn.kz, the victims began their night shift on the night of 20th to 21st June. While washing the production facilities, they used water with added chlorine. All six men suddenly felt unwell, experiencing nausea, vomiting, and weakness. According to the employees, they were sent home and later sought medical help.
The press service for the Department of the State Labour Inspectorate Committee for the Akmola region confirmed the poisoning. Specialists are currently establishing the exact circumstances of the incident.
"On 21 June 2025, regarding this incident, the RSE 'Department of the State Labour Inspectorate Committee for the Akmola Region' received oral information from the Bulandinsky District Police Department. The circumstances are currently being clarified," the statement reads.
Meanwhile, the police department of the Akmola region has opened a criminal case under Article 156, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan ("Violation of labour protection rules"). It has been preliminarily established that one of the victims, a 24-year-old worker, removed his respirator himself while washing, despite knowing that bleach was being used.
"The man subsequently went to hospital with signs of poisoning. Currently, six employees of the LLP are known to have been admitted to a medical facility with similar signs," the police reported.
For context, in January last year, a developer of a five-storey building in Aktobe carried out disinfestation of the basement using bleach without warning the residents. As a result, residents were poisoned by chlorine fumes — they experienced watery eyes, a sore throat, and difficulty breathing.
Specialists from the sanitary and epidemiological surveillance service took air measurements at the scene and conducted an analysis, but did not detect any excess of the norm. According to them, the chlorine fumes may have dissipated, as people had opened doors and windows. They also emphasised that permission from sanitary services is not required to carry out such work.