One person died and 20 fell sick after a toxic gas leak at a pharma unit today in Anakapalli in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam.

Hydrogen chloride (HCl), a toxic gas, started leaking at Tagoor Laboratories Private Limited, a pharma unit in Anakapalli. One person died and eight were taken to the hospital. Reports say at least seven are now out of danger.

A liquid spill reportedly led to the accident. The staff inhaled a combination of HCl and Cholorform, a volatile, colourless dense liquid used as a solvent, in industries and for medical use.

It is alleged that the manager tried to cover up the industrial accident. Sources said that no one took the accident seriously and they tried to put caustic soda to put out the flames. There were 180 people on shift, except 10 people who cleaned up the spill, the rest went home. Only late evening, they reported respiratory distress and were hospitalised, they added.

It was the hospital that informed the authorities and not the factory management about the gas leak.

“In the production plant of the company, 400 litres of HCL in liquid form leaked from Reactor-cum-Reciever Tank (GLR-325) and fell on the floor below. No immediate medical consequence was noticed in any of the workers. At night, nine persons who were in the vicinity of the liquid leak complained of breathing problems and cough,” a press note said.

“They were shifted to Pavan Sai Hospital in Gajuwaka, Visakhapatnam, by the company. three out of nine were shifted later to KIMS Hospital, Sheelanagar, Visakhapatnam. One person, 23-year-old Amit, a helper in the company, and a native of Odisha, unfortunately died today in hospital. Two persons are on ventilator support for normalising breathing. Six people are normal,” they added.

Last week, three people died and nine were injured after a gas leak at a fertiliser plant in Maharashtra. On November 22, a blast in a reactor at a fertiliser plant led to a gas leak in Maharashtra’s Sangli district.

Due to the gas leak, some 12 people in the unit were affected and taken to hospital. Of them, two women workers and a security guard have died. Nine others are being treated,” said Sangram Shewale, senior inspector of Kadegaon police station.

Mumbai:

A gas leakage from the factory of a chemical company has spread panic in in Maharashtra’s Ambarnath. The chemical fumes have spread across the entire city, lowering visibility and causing irritation to eyes and throat, bringing back memories of the Bhopal gas disaster of 1984. 

Videos from the city showed roads covered in a smoky haze. Those exposed to it have their nose and mouth covered. The haze appears to cover the city as far as eyes go. 

Reports from the spot said the gas has even reached the railway tracks, ruling out the possibility of residents skipping town in case of an emergency. 

#BREAKING | Maharashtra: Gas leak at a chemical company in Ambarnath, spreads across the city. Residents experience reduced visibility, itchy eyes and throat irritation. pic.twitter.com/tcxrTDyRB8

— NDTV (@ndtv) September 12, 2024

No severe effect or fatality has been reported. 

Efforts are on to pin down the gas and find the cause of the leak. Teams have also been dispatched to control the situation, sources have said.  

The authorities have asked people to stay indoors. 

More details are awaited.