Tamil Nadu: Seven workers dead, nine critical after ammonia leak at seafood processing unit

Seven women died and more than 67 workers were hospitalised after an ammonia gas leak at a private seafood export unit near Periyapalayam in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur district on Sunday, The Hindu quoted police officials as saying.

Tiruvallur District Collector S Kavitha said that nine of the most critically ill workers were sent to the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital in Chennai, according to the news agency.

The leak was reported at St Peter’s Paul Seafoods Exports Private Limited, where nearly 120 migrant workers were staying on the premises, reported The Indian Express. The factory processes and exports shrimp.

Most of the workers are women from Assam, Odisha and Jharkhand. As Sunday is the weekly holiday at the processing unit, most of the workers were in the residential unit of the factory, according to the newspaper. The leak originated from the processing unit and quickly spread to the rest of the premises.

The police have registered a case and an investigation into the cause of the leak is underway.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay also directed that an enquiry committee be formed to probe the incident.

The three-member committee will comprise the director of industrial safety and health, member secretary of the Pollution Control Board and the additional director of public health. They have been ordered to submit an interim report within 24 hours and a final report in three days.

The chief minister has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the families of those who died.

Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar expressed condolences to the families.

“I am deeply saddened by the tragic ammonia gas leak incident at a shrimp processing factory in Kannigaipair Village, near Periyapalayam, Thiruvallur district, which has resulted in the loss of precious lives and caused injuries to several workers,” he stated.

Edited by Sneha.