Initial casualties included an 8-year-old girl. One man is reported to have died when he jumped into a well while another person fell off the balcony of his house as the gas leak at the LG Polymers unit located at RR Venkatapuram near Gopalapatnam spread across the five sleeepy villages around 2.30 a.m.
In scenes reminiscent of the Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984, the streets and hospitals of Visakhapatnam were filled with people in panic, scared to breathe and unable to fathom the silent tragedy that struck them.
According to Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation officials, the tragedy took place when the chemical unit, closed due to the lockdown, was being restarted on Thursday morning. The gas stored in tanks began leaking and spread in a radius of 3 km. Officials have zeroed in on two gases, styrene and pentine, as the likely causes for the accident.
Early morning sights included people lying unconscious on the streets and dead cattle by the roadside. People, with children strung over their shoulders, ran in panic towards hospitals. Ambulances rushed to the area and transported 70 unconscious people to the King George hospital.
A large number of those hospitalised are children.
Eyewitnesses said that the incident took place around 2.30 a.m. when people were fast asleep in their homes. All of a sudden people in surrounding areas woke up with a sense of breathlessness, terrible itching, and burning sensation in their eyes.
Panic-stricken they rushed out of their homes, only to collapse. Several cattle and livestock also succumbed to the poisonous gas pervading the air.
The impact of the tragedy was reduced to some extent as the plant operatives immediately alerted the authorities following which the district administration swung into action, an official said.
The surrounding areas within a radius of 3 kms have been cleared of people and arrangements made for feeding around 7,500 people who have been asked to vacate their homes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are keeping abreast of all details. Modi has started a meeting with NDMA officials to monitor the situation.
Spoke to officials of MHA and NDMA regarding the situation in Visakhapatnam, which is being monitored closely.
I pray for everyone’s safety and well-being in Visakhapatnam.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 7, 2020
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy enquired about the gas leak incident in Visakhapatnam and directed the district officials to take every possible step to save lives and bring the situation under control.
Reddy announced Rs 1 crore ex-gratia each for the families of the 11 persons killed in gas leakage tragedy on the outskirts of this port city. Modi tweeted that he has spoken to officials in the ministry of home affairs. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy is also monitoring the situation.
The Chief Minister, who air-dashed to the city from Amaravati, also declared compensation for those admitted in hospitals after inhaling the toxic gas leaked from LG Polymers plant at RR Venkatapuram in the early hours of the day.
He told reporters that those on ventilators will be paid Rs 10 lakh each while others undergoing treatment in hospitals for two-three days will be given Rs 1 lakh. People who were mildly affected will get Rs 25,000 each while the other residents of the affected villages will be paid Rs 10,000 each.
Officials said that the leak has been sealed and the gas dissipates fast and so the death toll may not increase substantially.
"Saddened by the news of gas leak in a plant near Visakhapatnam which has claimed several lives. My condolences to the families of the victims. I pray for the recovery of the injured and the safety of all," tweeted President Ram Nath Kovind.
I am confident that the administration is doing everything possible to bring the situation under control at the earliest.
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 7, 2020
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday condoled the death of people in the Visakhapatnam gas leak incident.
"Deeply distressed by the loss of lives due to gas leak ... My condolences to bereaved families and wishes for speedy recovery of those taken ill," he said in a tweet.
Deeply distressed by the loss of lives due to gas leak from chemical plant of a private company in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. My condolences to bereaved families and wishes for speedy recovery of those taken ill.
— Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) May 7, 2020
Meanwhile, the NDRF was working with Andhra Pradesh government has started rescue operations, informed NDRF DG Satya Narayan Pradhan.
#VizagGasLeak update 3 @NDRFHQ Spl chemical accident team continues search & evacuation work assisting local people & admin on site @PIBHomeAffairs @ndmaindia @vizagcitypolice @vizagcollector @HMOIndia @BhallaAjay26 pic.twitter.com/yKzxdHu3cV
— ѕαtчα prαdhαnसत्यनारायण प्रधान ସତ୍ଯ ପ୍ରଧାନ-DG NDRF (@satyaprad1) May 7, 2020
LG Polymers, is among India's leading manufacturer of polystyrene and expandable polystyrene. The plant located at Visakhapatnam, belongs to the Mumbai-based LG Polymers India, which is part of the South Korean group LG Chemical.
Originally set up in 1961, as Hindustan Polymers for manufacturing polystyrene and its co-polymers, the company was merged with McDowell & Co Ltd of UB Group in 1978. It ultimately became part of the South Korean group LG Chemical, in 1997.
Here are some of the disturbing visuals shared by people on social media
This Gas leakage already spreaded around 5KM's..plz pass the information asap???#VizagGasLeak pic.twitter.com/xBVsCnX2bi
— Amma Nanna PSPK (@PSPKFanHere) May 7, 2020
Scary visuals #vizaggasleak pic.twitter.com/kbNkm7uXYE
— AR (@ashok9786_) May 7, 2020
Chemical gas leakage reported at LG Polymers industry in RR Venkatapuram village, #Visakhapatnam. Complained of burning sensation in eyes&breathing difficulties from the people who effected.#VizagGasLeak pic.twitter.com/YWW927Kk4B
— Bezawada Cult BoY ? (@AyanPawanist_) May 7, 2020
(IANS)
Taking to Twitter, Patnaik wished speedy recovery to those undergoing treatment.
"Deeply saddened to know about the tragic loss of so many lives and so many fell sick in #VizagGasLeak. My thoughts and prayers are with bereaved families in the hour of grief and pray for the speedy recovery of those who are hospitalized. #Visakhapatnam," Patnaik tweeted.
Deeply saddened to know about the tragic loss of so many lives and so many people fell sick in #VizagGasLeak. My thoughts and prayers are with bereaved families in the hour of grief and pray for the speedy recovery of those who are hospitalised. #Visakhapatnam
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) May 7, 2020
Union Petroleum and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also voiced his concern over the incident, and said the situation was being monitored and all assistance provided.
"Distressed to learn about the gas leak tragedy at LG Polymers industry in Vizag, Andhra Pradesh this morning. The situation is being monitored closely and all assistance is being provided. I pray for the safety and well-being of people in Vizag," Pradhan posted on his Twitter handle.
Distressed to learn about the gas leak incident at LG Polymers industry in Vizag, Andhra Pradesh this morning.
The situation is being monitored closely and all assistance is being provided. I pray for the safety and well-being of people in Vizag.
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) May 7, 2020
Among others, BJP national vice-president and former MP Baijayant Panda also conveyed his condolences to the family members of the deceased.
"Very saddened at the #VizagGasLeak incident in Andhra Pradesh this morning. Prayers for the speedy recovery of those admitted in hospital. Condolences to the bereaved families," Panda said.
Very saddened at the #VizagGasLeak incident in Andhra Pradesh this morning.
Prayers for the speedy recovery of those admitted in hospital.
Condolences to the bereaved families.Om Shanti ???
— Baijayant Jay Panda (@PandaJay) May 7, 2020
At least 10 people, including a child, died and hundreds fell ill after a major gas leak at a polymer plant in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, early on Thursday. The gas leak impacted villages within a 5-km radius of the plant, according to officials.
(PTI)
The protesters placed two bodies of the dead in front of the factory main gate as part of the agitation while some youths barged into the plant even as state Director General of Police D G Sawang was inspecting the vapour leak spot and talking to the management on the measures taken to restore normalcy.
The bodies were brought to the village for cremation on Saturday from the KGH mortuary after post-mortem. The angry villagers, however, stopped the ambulances in front of the plant gate and laid the bodies on the road.
Emotions ran high as the villagers demanded that the plant be shut down immediately as it completely ruined our lives.
A styrene vapour leak from the plastics manufacturing plant caused the death of 12 persons on Thursday.
Hundreds of villagers, who were provided shelter in Visakhapatnam after the vapour leak, returned to the village this morning, raising slogans against the factory management and demanding its closure.
The police posted near the plant for security duty tried to prevent the villagers from going near the plant but the latter broke the security cordon and staged a sit-in protest near the factory gate.
Police initially took some of the protesters into custody and whisked them away but scores of others entered the scene subsequently.
At one point, many of the villagers barged into the plant through a small entrance gate and one woman was seen falling on the DGP's feet and pleading that the unit be closed forthwith.
A stumped Visakhapatnam police commissioner R K Meena directed his officers and men to drive out the villagers from the factory premises, following which police necked them out.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police Gautam Sawang today said that the gas leakage from LG Polymers has been plugged and the situation is absolutely under control. Sawang told reporters after a visit to the chemical plant that more technical teams from Delhi will be reaching here later in the day to have further look into the situation and decide the way forward.
"The situation is absolutely under control. All those reactions and leakages have been plugged. There is no matter of concern anymore," he said.
More technical teams from the areas of the chemical and petroleum industry will be arriving to have further look into the situation.
DGP said he reviewed the situation and had discussions with the technical teams on the ground. The police chief said he had a meeting with technical experts, scientists and the special team from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), personally visited the site and found everything completely under control.
Stating that there is no need for panic, he said the experts on Friday asked people of the five villages near the plant to remain in the relief camps and wait for another 48 hours. "Experts yesterday sought 48 hours as per protocol to bring everything under control and to meet all parameters. Everything is under control but to be on the safer side they have sought the time, he said.
Asked about the investigation, the DGP said it was still on. "The committee has been set up. It will come here and take all expert and technical inputs. We will wait as they are more technically competent to say how, why and under what circumstances this happened."
The police chief said it was not correct to say that only simple sections were invoked in the case against the company. "What sections had to be applied were all applied. The investigations are still on. We have to wait. There are a lot of technical elements in this. At this stage all must come together to overcome this challenge to bring normalcy. This is more important."
(With agency inputs)
The incident occurred at Sainor Life Sciences Private Limited, a pharma company located at Jawaharlal Nehru Pharma City in Parwada on the city outskirts around 11.30 p.m. on Monday. However, it came to light only in the early hours of Tuesday.
Revenue Divisional Officer P. Kishore told reporters at the scene that Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) leaked while it was being pumped from one reactor to the other.
Initially, the leaked gas was suspected to be benzimidazole.
Six people working there inhaled the gas. While two persons died, four others were shifted to a hospital, where the condition of one of them is stated to be critical.
The deceased were identified as shift in charge R. Narendra, 33, and chemist M. Gowri Shankar, 26.
The condition of L.V. Chandrashekhar, a helper, was critical. He was kept on a ventilator. The other affected persons were out of danger and they were identified as P. Ananad Babu, a helper, and D. Janaki Rao and M. Surya Narayana, both chemists.
Visakhapatnam Superintendent of Police R. K. Meena and District Collector Vinay Chand visited the plant. The collector has ordered an inquiry into the incident.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy enquired about the incident. As a precautionary measure, the factory has been closed.
Sainor Life Sciences manufactures Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), pellets and intermediates.
"The officials informed the Chief Minister that leakage was confined to the reactor unit only and there was no need for any panic as the situation is under control," reads a statement from the chief minister's office.
Meena told reporters that a First Information Report (FIR) would be registered into the incident and an inquiry would be conducted. "The gas leakage was arrested immediately. There is no threat to other units in Pharma City or to nearby habitation," the RDO said.
Pendurthi MLA Annamreddy Adeep Raj said the negligence by the company management led to the gas leak. He said necessary precautions were not taken while pumping the gas and this led to the tragedy.
This is the second incident at the company in five years. Two workers including a pharmacist were killed and five injured in a reactor blast at active pharmaceutical ingredients manufacturing plant of Sainor Life Sciences in September 2015.
Monday's gas leak incident comes close on the heels of May 7 disaster at LG Polymers plant at Venkatapuram on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam. Styrene gas leak from the plan had claimed the lives of 12 people and affected around 500 in the surrounding villages.
(IANS)
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Assistant Commissioner of Police, R.V.S.N. Murthy, who is also the investigation officer, said the accused were booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
They were also booked under Indian Penal Code's Sections 278 (Making atmosphere noxious to health), 284 (Negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance), 285 (Negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter), 337 (Causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (Causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) read with section 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
The gas leak from LG Polymers plant on the intervening night of May 6 and 7 affected Venkatapuram and five other villages.
According to police, while 12 people died on May 7 and 8, three more villagers succumbed on May 25 and afterwards. A total of 34 animals also died in the incident.
The development comes a day after the High Powered Committee (HPC) submitted its probe report to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The HPC probe report had listed several lapses on the part of the LG Polymers management, which led to the styrene gas leakage.
The other accused arrested on Tuesday are LG Polymers' and Additional Director (Operations) P.P. Chandra Mohan Rao, HOD, SMH (in-charge) K. Srinivas Kiran Kumar, team leader production Raju Satyanarayana, engineers C. Chandrasekhar, K. Gowri Sankara Nagendra Ramu, K. Chakrapani, operator Muddu Rajesh, night duty officer (operations) P. Balaji, incharge GPPS S. Atchyut and safety officer in night shift K. Venkata Narasimha Ramesh Patnaik.
According to the investigating official, the investigations disclosed that the incident at M6 styrene storage tank took place due to negligence of the accused who were also having knowledge that their acts are likely to cause death.
"The investigations so far made disclosed that the accident occurred to the poor design of M6 Tank, inadequate refrigeration and cooling system, absence of circulation systems, inadequate measurement parameters, weak safety protocol, poor safety awareness, inadequate risk assessment and response, poor management, slackness of management, insufficient knowledge amongst staff, insufficient understanding of the chemical properties of styrene, especially during storage under idle conditions and total breakdown of the emergency response procedures," the police said.
Meanwhile, in a related development in the case, the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) suspended environmental engineers R. Lakshmi Naryana and P. Prasada Rao for negligence.
Acting on the report of the HPC, APPCB suspended Prasada Rao, environmental engineer, regional office, Visakhapatnam, for gross negligence in allowing operation of LG Polymers without environmental clearance, allowing import and storage of huge quantity of styrene without verifying safety and environmental issues. Lakshmi Narayana, environmental engineer, zonal office, Visakhapatnam, was also suspended on the same charges.
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