The incident happened at around 3 am at LG Polymers Ltd at Gopalapatnam, when people in the nearby colonies were fast asleep.
At least eight people died and more than thousand people fell sick after inhaling poisonous gas leaked from a chemical factory in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam district in the early hours of Thursday. Andhra Pradesh Director-General of Police Gautam Sawang confirmed the toll at six. Unconfirmed reports say eight people have been killed in the mishap.
The incident happened at around 3 am at LG Polymers Ltd at Gopalapatnam, when people in the nearby colonies were fast asleep.
We can confirm at least five deaths right now. More will be confirmed later. At least 70 people in the nearby hospitals are in an unconscious state and overall 200 to 500 locals are still getting treatment (at the hospitals)," said police official Swaroop Rani in Visakhapatnam.
She said that the incident happened at a plant operated by LG Polymers and that gas leaked out of two 5,000-tonne tanks that had been unattended due to India's coronavirus lockdown in place since late March.
The number of people who have fallen sick after the leak may be over 1,000, The Times of India reported. The leak reportedly occurred around 3 am at LG Polymers industry at RR Venkatapuram near Naiduthota area. Workers were gearing up to reopen the plant when the gas began leaking, according to The Indian Express.
The incident triggered panic and several people were found unconscious on the streets as some faced breathing problems. Some people also complained of rashes on their body and burning sensation in their eyes.
Commissioner of Police, Visakhapatnam City, RK Meena said the “gas has been neutralised”. “Maximum impact was in about 1-1.5 km but smell was in 2-2.5 km,” he told ANI. “One hundred to 120 people have been shifted to the hospital.” He added that a first information report has been registered.
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