After almost two months of being on their toes battling the COVID-19 pandemic, the city police force found itself face to face with a health emergency of a different kind on Thursday.
As the styrene monomer vapours began leaking from the LG Polymers plant at RR Venkatapuram at 3.30 a.m., a distress call went out to the police at 3.45 a.m. Police immediately swung into action and the first team to reach the spot was from the Gopalapatnam police station, at around 4 a.m. The team was guided by Zone-II DCP Uday Bhaskar, who also reached the site by 4 a.m.
Almost 70% of the police force was present at the spot by 4.30 a.m., and Commissioner of Police Rajeev Kumar Meena arrived at the spot by 5 a.m.
“Initially, it was difficult to enter the village because of darkness and the heavy styrene vapour fog. However, by wearing masks, we began making announcements through loudspeakers and blowing sirens that are fitted to our vehicles,” said Mr. Uday Bhaskar.
“In some cases, we had to break the doors open to rescue the residents, as they were either asleep or probably unconscious. We had to mobilise men to carry them to the waiting police vehicles,” said Mr. Meena.
A team from the local unit of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) came to the rescue of the local police at around 6 a.m.
Well-equipped with protective suits and carrying oxygen cylinders, they undertook a house-to-house search and rescue operation.