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In the early hours of December 3, 1984 , methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked from the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) plant in Bhopal , India
Shortly after the gas release, Union Carbide launched an intensive effort to identify the cause. An initial investigation by Union Carbide experts showed that a large volume of water had apparently been introduced into the MIC tank and caused a chemical reaction that forced the chemical release valve to open and allowed the gas to leak. A committee of experts, working on behalf of the Indian government, conducted its own investigation and reached the same conclusion. An independent investigation by the engineering consulting firm Arthur D. Little determined that the water could only have been deliberately introduced into the tank, since safety systems were in place and operational that would have prevented water from entering the tank by accident.
