While the factory owner, Lokesh Chopra, claimed in the evening that the victims had been discharged, the women were still at the nursing home. ``They are in stable condition, but we have kept them under observation,'' said Dr Sharma.

The incident took place in the sewing room of the factory set up 20 years ago in Pandav Nagar. Around 40 women were reportedly present in the room when the accident occurred. According to one of the victims Meenakshi, they felt a burning sensation after a sweeper sprinkled phenyl to clean the floor. ``Later our throats also got choked and we could not speak'', she said. The supervisor rushed the women to the terrace. But the effect was short lived as the women got nauseated and later fell unconscious on their return to the room.