In a troubling incident at a private fish processing plant in Thoothukudi, an ammonia gas leak on Friday morning led to 29 women fainting, highlighting serious safety concerns at the facility. The affected individuals include five women from Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, and 16 female workers from Odisha.
The gas leak occurred at a fish processing and exporting plant located in Pudoor Pandiya Puram, Thoothukudi, which employs over 500 women from various states. Initial reports suggest that the incident was triggered by an explosion of an ammonia gas cylinder, which resulted from an electrical accident. The explosion caused ammonia gas to disperse throughout the plant, leading to widespread suffocation, eye irritation, and the fainting of numerous workers.
Several employees in a fish processing unit in #Thoothukudi were hospitalized for treatment of suffocation & unconsciousness after an alleged ammonia gas leak.
🎥ANI pic.twitter.com/5cENIaAfVC— TNIE Tamil Nadu (@xpresstn) July 20, 2024
In response to the emergency, affected employees were quickly transported to two private hospitals in Thoothukudi—AVM Hospital, Rajesh Tilak Hospital, and Arulraj Hospital—by company vehicles and ambulances. The Tamil Nadu police, specifically the Thalamuthu Nagar police, have launched an investigation into the incident to determine the exact cause and to prevent future occurrences.
This ammonia leak is not an isolated incident. In December of the previous year, a similar situation occurred at Coromandel International Limited in Ennore, leading the state government to temporarily shut down the facility. The earlier leak, which was detected in a subsea pipe, caused a strong odor and health issues for five individuals, all of whom received treatment at a local health facility.
The Tamil Nadu Environment and Forest Department has confirmed that the current leak was promptly addressed. Emergency measures included the swift deployment of ambulances and public transport to manage the situation and ensure that those affected received timely medical care.
The incident underscores the critical need for stringent safety protocols and regular inspections to prevent such hazardous occurrences in industrial settings. Further details about the ongoing investigation are awaited as authorities work to uncover the root cause of the explosion and ensure that similar incidents are effectively mitigated in the future.
