LG polymers gas leak: Several were killed after gas leaked from chemical plant in Visakhapatnam
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In multiple videos, men, women and children were seen lying down on the streets of the port city. At least hundred people, many in masks for COVID-19 precaution, were seen on a chaotic road lifting the injured and bundling them into waiting ambulances.
Residents near the plant reported a burning sensation in their eyes and skin and difficulty breathing, officials said. The gas is not lethal, but prolonged exposure to it can cause breathing trouble and could also affect the nerves.
People within a 3 km radius of the chemical plant have been affected, say officials.
Police officer Swaroop Rani in Visakhapatnam was quoted by Agence France-Presse as saying the gas leaked out of two 5,000-tonne tanks that had been unattended due to the lockdown in place since late March.
"It was left there because of the lockdown. It led to a chemical reaction and heat was produced inside the tanks, and the gas leaked because of that," the officer told AFP.
The first call reporting gas in the air went to the police at 3.30 am. When teams arrived, they found it difficult to breathe or see clearly.
In initial tweets and announcements, the municipal office warned people in the vicinity of the gas leak and urged everyone to stay indoors. People were also asked to wear wet masks or cover their face with wet cloth.
In one of the mobile videos, a woman standing near a scooter suddenly collapses on the pavement. Another woman is seen taking her child to an ambulance.
The plant makes polystyrene, a versatile plastic used in fiberglass, rubber and latex and for making toys and appliances among other things. Set up in 1961 as Hindustan Polymers, the company was taken over by South Korea's LG Chem and renamed LG Polymers India in 1997.
"The gas leak situation is now under control and we are exploring all ways to provide speedy treatment for those who suffer from inhaling the leaked gas," said LG Chem. "We are investigating the extent of damage and exact cause of the leak and deaths," it added in a statement.
