On Sunday morning, the city of Ludhiana in northern India was struck by a deadly gas leak that has left families reeling from the loss of loved ones. The leak resulted in the deaths of 11 people and hospitalized four others. The cause of the leak has not been officially confirmed, but reports suggest that high levels of hydrogen sulphide gas were detected in the area.

The densely populated area was home to several shops, including a cold drink store, a grocery store, and a medical clinic that were frequently visited by many people. One resident, Kapil Kumar, lost his cousin Bilas Kumar, Bilas’s wife Varsa Devi, and their three children to gas inhalation. “There were five people living in the house. Now there is no one left,” he said.

When the smell of the gas began to spread early on Sunday morning, residents stepped outside their houses to check where it was coming from. Shivam Singh, a resident, recalls thinking it had rained, but then the stench increased. “I looked outside and saw that people had fallen to the ground. The smell of the gas was very strong. A cat had also died [on the street],” he said. His video, which showed several people lying unconscious on the road, was widely shared on social media.

Arvind Chaubey, who had stepped out to play cricket, says he covered his face with a cloth when he suspected there had been a gas leak and moved away from the area. “I moved a little further away and called the police and the ambulance,” he said. Many people around him were struggling to breathe because of the gas, he added.