The death toll from the styrene gas leak near Vishakapatnam on Thursday climbed to eight and the Andhra Pradesh government ordered a probe into the incident, the state police chief said here.
Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy held a high-level review meeting to take stock of the situation and ordered a probe into the matter, state DGP D Gautam Sawang said.
As many as eight people were killed in the styrene gas leak incident at LG Polymers Limited plant at R R Venkatapuram near Visakhapatnam in the wee hours of Thursday.
The DGP said there was no more leakage of gas and the situation was now “stable and under control”.
At least 246 persons with health complications are undergoing treatment at the King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam and 20 of them are on ventilator support, he told reporters after the meeting with the chief minister.
In all, over 800 persons were evacuated from R R Venkatapuram following the gas leak and most of them only needed first aid.
The chief minister ordered an inquiry into the gas leak incident, the DGP said.
“How the gas leaked and why the neutraliser at the plant did not prove effective in containing the leak will all be investigated. Styrene, though, is not a poisonous gas and can be fatal only if inhaled in excess quantity,” Sawang said.
Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is closely monitoring the gas leak incident in Visakhapatnam and has directed district officials to take steps to bring the situation under control.
The loss of lives due to gas leak in Visakhapatnam is disturbing. My heartfelt condolences to the families. #VizagGasLeak
— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) May 7, 2020
At least six people have died and around 100 hospitalised after gas leaked from a chemical plant in Visakhapatnam.
The chief minister will be visiting the King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam where the injured are being treated.
“Hon’ble CM @ysjagan will leave for Vizag to visit the hospital where the affected are being treated,” his office tweeted.
The chief minister is closely monitoring the situation and has directed the district officials to take every possible step to save lives and bring the situation under control, it added.
The toxic gas leaked from a plant of LG Polymers in Visakhapatnam in the early hours on Thursday. The plant had reopened after being shut due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
In a series of tweets, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has asked people of colonies and villages around the plant to leave for safe locations and use wet cloth as a mask to cover their nose and mouth.
South Korean company LG Polymers makes polystyrene and expandable polystyrene, a versatile plastic used to make a wide variety of consumer products like toys and appliances and has been in operation since 1961.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday described the gas leak at a chemical plant in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam as “disturbing” and said the central government is closely monitoring the situation.
He said he is praying for the well-being of the people of Visakhapatnam.
“The incident in Vizag is disturbing. Have spoken to the NDMA officials and concerned authorities. We are continuously and closely monitoring the situation,” Shah tweeted.
Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy spoke to Andhra Pradesh’s chief secretary and director general of police and took stock of the situation.
Reddy instructed teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to provide necessary assistance to the victims.
“I am continuously monitoring the situation. Hundreds of people have also been affected in the unprecedented and unfortunate event in Visakhapatnam, AP,” he said here.
At least six people, including a child, have been killed and over 100 hospitalised due to the gas leak which took place at LG Polymers chemical plant in Visakhapatnam’s Gopalapatnam area.
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