Vizag gas leak: What you should know about LG Chemical

New Delhi, May 07: At least 9 people have been killed after a chemical gas leaked from a plastic manufacturing unit of the LG Polymers in Andhra Pradesh's Gopalpatnam near Visakhapatnam.

At least 5,000 have fallen sick due to the leak. The leak spread over a radius of about three km, affecting at least five villages.

The owner of this Vizag plant is a South Korean company LG Chemical Ltd.

Vizag gas leak: Criminal action will be taken against LG Chem, says AP Industry Minister

The battery maker company deals in manufacture, development and services in the field of polymers.

LG Chemical came in India through Hindustan Polymers through 100 per cent takeover.

The LG Polymers factory was originally established in 1961 as Hindustan Polymers to manufacture polystyrene.

The company later was renamed as LG Polymers India pvt Ltd in 1997.

An official of LG Polymers issued a statement that there were 1,800 tonnes of styrene in the storage tank.

He said that due to stagnation and changes in temperature it could have resulted in auto polymerization which could have caused vapourisation.

"We are investigating the incident. Right now there is no leak as it has been contained. We will observe the facility for another four hours and give an all clear after a thorough inspection,'' the official said.

The gas leaked at around 2.30 am and the exact reason is yet to be determined. The plant had been shut for 40 days due to the lockdown and only very few staff were deployed there. The gas leaked from two 5,000 tonne tanks which were unattended since March due to the coronavirus lockdown.