l
splco.me/ : Morning
of horror struck in this port city in Andhra Pradesh, that made so far
eleven dead, over 5,000 fall sick after gas leak from LG Polymers
chemical plant
The
incident led to panic among locals in a radius of 3 km around the plant
with many people seen lying unconscious on the roads. Others were
having breathing problems and complained of rashes on their body and
sore eyes.
Local
reports said people rushed over to the Meghadrigadda water reservoir to
wash themselves. TV footage showed people slumped on the pavements.
Motorbikes were left in the middle of the roads as though people had
just fallen off them.
Greater
Vizag Municipal Corporation (GVMC) commissioner G Srijana confirmed 8
deaths and said public alerts have been issued warning people to stay
home and cover their noses and eyes with a wet cloth. Officials said the
death toll will likely rise.
Footage
on local television channels showed people, including women and
children, falling in the streets. “We can confirm at least five deaths
right now. More will be confirmed late,” Swaroop Rani, assistant police
commissioner, said.
B
K Naik, a hospital coordinator, said at least 1,000 people had been
sent to different hospitals. It was feared many others may be
unconscious in their homes as it was still early morning when the gas
leak took place.
“We
authorities are checking (in houses) as well. We are working to get
people to hospital. They need oxygenation and fresh air,” AFP quoted him
as saying.
Swaroopa
Rani said the gas leak was due to a chemical reaction that produced
heat in the two tanks. She said local villagers raised the alarm around
3:30 am, saying there was a smell of some gas in the air.
“We
reached there immediately. One could feel the gas in the air and it was
not possible for any of us to stay there for more than a few minutes,”
AFP quoted Swaroopa Rani as saying.
The plant operated by LG Polymers is located on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam, an urban agglomeration of five million.
The
GVMC said its officials are trying to reduce the impact of the gas leak
by spraying water, and public address systems are being used to ask
people to use masks.
Chief
minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has asked district officials to take
every possible step to save lives and bring the situation under control.
LG
Polymers is a South Korean company that makes polystyrene and
expandable polystyrene, a versatile plastic used to make a wide variety
of consumer products like toys and appliances. It has been in operation
since 1961.
Former
director of Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre Dr D
Raghunatha Rao said styrene is primarily used in the production of
polystyrene plastics and resins. If exposed to the gas, it results in
mucous membrane and eye irritation, and gastrointestinal effects.
Chronic
(long-term) exposure to styrene in humans results in ill-effects on the
central nervous system causing headache, fatigue, weakness, and
depression, CNS dysfunction, hearing loss and peripheral neuropathy.
As
per Dun and Bradstreet report LG Polymers India Pvt Ltd incorporated in
the year 2001 ( Previously LG Chem) is part of the Plastic Resin &
Synthetic Fiber Manufacturing Industry.
LG
POLYMERS INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED has 576 total employees across all of
its locations and in the year 2018 it generated 16,645 Crores INR (
219.51 million USD). There are 24 companies in the LG POLYMERS INDIA
PRIVATE LIMITED corporate family.
India
witnessed in December 1984 one of the worst industrial disasters in
history when gas leaked from a pesticide plant in Bhopal.
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