CHENNAI: Two guest workers died and several others were hospitalised after an ammonia gas leak at a seafood export firm in Kannigaipair near Periyapalayam in Thiruvallur district on Sunday.
The Thiruvallur district police have registered a case under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 125 (a) (endangering life) and have secured two persons Joseph Jagan and Mohan from the top management of St Peter & Paul Seafoods Export factory in Kannigaipair village, near Periyapalayam in Tiruvallur district.
The deceased were identified as Jumani Juang (19) and Malothi (20), both natives of Odisha. Their bodies were kept at the Tiruvallur Government Hospital for a postmortem examination.
Earlier, the police had put the death toll at seven, but a CMO release and Health Minister KG Arunraj later confirmed it at two.
Speaking to reporters, after visiting the patients admitted to the Stanley Medical College and Hospital, Arunraj said that an ammonia gas leak with an impact of this scale has never happened in the State. Arunraj also strongly refuted rumours circulating on television channels and social media platforms claiming seven fatalities.
"Reports of seven deaths are entirely untrue. Officially, two individuals have succumbed after failing to respond to treatment, while 62 others are currently receiving intensive medical care, " the minister clarified.
In all, 64 workers 60 women and four men were exposed to the leak, officials said. Fifteen are under observation at the Stanley and Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospitals (8 in Rajiv Gandhi and 7 in Stanley), while 48 have been admitted to private hospitals in Thiruvallur.
About 130 unaffected workers were shifted to a marriage hall by the district administration.
To ensure the highest quality of care, the government has deployed dedicated, round-the-clock medical teams. Each patient is being monitored individually by a specialised team comprising an emergency medicine doctor and a critical care expert on 24-hour bedside duty.
Following directives by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, arrangements are being made to transport the bodies of the deceased back to their home state of Odisha entirely at the State government's expense. The Chief Minister has also instructed officials to ensure specialised treatment for all affected.
Police sources said that over 100 guest workers, including women, were employed at the factory where seafood is processed and packed for export. All the workers stayed in the accommodation provided on the factory premises.
On Sunday, the workers were off duty and resting in rooms, located a few metres from the unit's ammonia plant where the leak occurred. The toxic gas soon spread, leaving several workers with breathing difficulty and discomfort.
On information, personnel from the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services and police personnel reached the scene and moved all the workers to hospitals after which National Disaster Response Force and SDRF personnel combed the factory premises.
Chief Minister Vijay announced a relief of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of the two deceased workers.
"As soon as we got the information, we reached the site and conducted inspections. The ammonia drums on the first floor had a leak. Since the staff accommodation was nearby, many people were affected. We inspected all the rooms. All persons were evacuated. Search is going on to detect if there are any more leaks. We have been able to contain the whole area. The neighbouring factories not affected," said an NDRF officer.
Thiruvallur District Collector Kavitha told mediapersons that a panel of experts will be conducting an inquiry and submit a report to the government. "About 15 persons are in a critical condition," the collector said.
Experts reported that ammonia levels in the air at the industrial site reached around 300 ppm (parts per million). Such high levels severely impacted the workers, the majority of whom are women.
Arunraj added that factories handling hazardous chemicals must possess proper licences and strictly adhere to mandated renewal intervals.
He issued a stern warning to the management of the private facility, where safety protocols were allegedly bypassed. "Irrespective of any political backing or influence the owner of this private firm might possess, strict legal action will be taken against those responsible for this lapse in safety compliance," the minister asserted.