AP gas leak: High level probe ordered as 121 women hospitalised

HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday ordered a high-level probe into the gas leak in a garment factory that left over a hundred hospitalised in the Anakapalle district.

Andhra Pradesh Industries Minister Gudivada Amarnath announced the decision to conduct the probe and said the company will remain closed until the investigation in the leakage concludes. He pointed out that it was the second instance of gas leakage in the past two months.

As many as 121 women workers were affected and are being treated in various hospitals in the Anakapalle district after the accident at the factory.

Earlier in June, about 178 women workers fell sick after a gas leak at a laboratory in the Atchutapuram area of the state’s Visakhapatnam, following which the government set up a joint committee to ascertain the cause. It was suspected that leakage of air conditioning gas was the cause.

Speaking about the latest incident, the minister said the cause of the gas leakage was yet to be ascertained and the police and pollution control board teams were investigating the matter.

According to the Vishakhapatnam district officials, 53 people were admitted for treatment in a government hospital, while 41 others were undergoing treatment in other hospitals of the district.

Amarnath said some samples were also sent to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for a more detailed examination.

Earlier, the District Medical and Health Officer of Anakapalle, Hemanth had said that most of the patients complained about difficulty in breathing, nausea, and vomiting.

As per the reports, initially, about 50 people were shifted to hospital after they fell ill on Tuesday due to the gas leakage that took place at Brandix premises, after which the employees ran out gripped by panic.