An accidental leakage of styrene gas from Korean company LG Polymers’ plant at Venkatapuram village in Visakhapatnam left dead at least seven persons, including a child, early morning on Thursday. Around 500 people were reported to have got sick and many more struck by panic.
Woken up in horror with breathlessness and a burning sensation in their eyes, people ran helter-skelter after the gas emission spread to the village at around 3.30 am. Some villagers fell unconscious on roads while fleeing, according to eyewitness accounts.
King George Hospital’s G Arjuna said high concentration of gas near the leakage point and a longer period of inhalation by people in sleep made them sick. Those in critical condition were given oxygen support.
As many as 3,000 people were evacuated to safe places and at least 250 were admitted to various hospitals, according to the initial reports. Local TV channels even showed visuals of cattle lying motionless.
Vizag collector Vinay Chand said the administration rushed ambulances and other vehicles to evacuate people soon after it got the information at around 4 am. The efforts were still on to contain the leakage completely, he said.
Established in 1969, the LG Polymers manufacturing plant had been shut for the past 40 days due to the nationwide lockdown in force to prevent the spread of coronavirus. It produces hypol and EPS polymers, polystyrene, expandable polystyrene and other styrene polymers, according to the company’s website. LG Chem's Indian subsidiary had taken over this plant some 15 years ago.
The leakage of gases is believed to have taken place when the plant’s employees were preparing to reopen it following some recent relaxations announced by the government.
Chronic exposure to styrene in humans is expected to result in effects on the central nervous system (CNS), such as headache, fatigue, weakness, depression and CNS dysfunction, hearing loss and peripheral neuropathy.