Sounds like the gas was used to immobilize then a bomb used to blow them up.
Chlorine gas is nasty stuff. If you have a pool and mix powder with water it can explode if you have mix 2 incompatible granular bases. Sent me to the ER.
It happens a lot when people try to shock a pool through the tablet dispensers.
From September 16, 2014
I think Chlorine gas was one of the first used during World War 1? I may be mistaken but it is nasty stuff.