Poisonous Gas Leak in Visakhapatanam Pharma Company, 2 Employees Dead, 4 In Critical Condition
Visakhapatnam : A gas leak incident occurred in a pharma company in Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh in the early hours of Tuesday. According to reports, 2 people have died in this incident while 4 people have been hospitalized. The gas leak took place in the early hours of Tuesday from a pharma company called Sainor Life Science located in Jawaharlal Nehru Pharma City (JNPC) in Parvada. At the time when the gas leak incident occurred, there were 30 people working in the pharma company. The leaked gas is said to be benzimidazole. It is a poisonous gas.
#UPDATE – 2 people dead & 4 admitted at hospitals. Situation under control now. The 2 persons who died were workers and were present at the leakage site. Gas has not spread anywhere else: Uday Kumar, Inspector, Parwada Police Station https://t.co/ogbuc3QfoY pic.twitter.com/TuPCeWK8ZF
— ANI (@ANI) June 30, 2020
6 employees fainted
According to reports, when the gas leaked, 6 out of 30 people working in the company suddenly got dizzy and fell unconscious. All unconscious employees were taken to the hospital where 2 died, while the remaining 4 are undergoing treatment at the hospital. The deceased have been identified as Narendra and Gauri Shankar. The condition of the remaining 4 employees admitted to the hospital is said to be critical. It is also being investigated how this gas leak occurred.
The benzimidazole gas leak comes close on the heels of the styrene gas leak from LG Polymers Private Limited at RR Venkatapuram area in Vizag city last month. Twelve people including two children were killed and over 600 people were hospitalized with various ailments in Styrene gas leak on May 7.
Vizag District Collector V Vinay Chand, Commissioner of Police RK Meena and officials from the factories department visited the Sainor pharma company to take stock of the situation.
City Police Chief RK Meena said that the fire service personnel controlled the leakage and the officials of the factories department are trying to ascertain the reasons behind the incident.
Scientist Sundaramayya told media persons that benzimidazole gas is not as dangerous as styrene. However, people who inhaled gas may suffer in the long term.
Left party leaders and activists have demanded the shutdown of some pharma firms in JNPC citing inadequate safety norms and pollution levels in the Parawada area.