Ludhiana: Tanker gas leak lands 5 in hospital

LUDHIANA: At least five factory workers fell unconscious following leakage of carbon dioxide from a tanker parked in the adjoining factory in Giaspura area of Sahnewal on Tuesday morning. Other factory workers closed the valve and also released oxygen due to which the situation was brought under control.
The unconscious workers - identified as Dinesh Kumar, Kundan, Mohammad Sehjan, Sunny and Dahor Rai - were rushed to the civil hospital where their condition is said to be stable. Meanwhile, the incident triggered panic following which the police vacated the area. Officials of district administration, police, fire brigade and a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) visited the spot to control the situation.

Additional deputy commissioner (general) Rahul Chhaba, who went to the spot, said a tanker containing liquid carbon dioxide reached Giaspura-based Weltech Equipment and Infrastructure factory, which produces industrial medical gases, around 7am on Tuesday. The ADC said CO2 leaked during shifting either due to high pressure in the container or due to some glitch in the safety valve.
The factory workers, including the truck driver, managed to get out of the danger zone, but five workers of the adjoining factory - Gaurav Knitwears - fainted. They were rushed to a hospital. The workers of Weltech unit informed the factory's foreman Dinesh Chanda. Dinesh covered his face with a wet cloth and turned off the valve and released oxygen from oxygen cylinders brought from the factory.
Gagandeep Singh, owner of the factory, said the liquid carbon dioxide had come from a Tarn Taran plant. The driver had opened the wrong valve of the tanker following which the gas leaked due to heavy pressure. However, other workers controlled the situation and stopped the leakage.
Ludhiana deputy commissioner Surabhi Malik formed a three-member committee, comprising the sub-divisional magistrate (west), general manager of the department of industries and commerce and deputy director (factories), to conduct a probe. Assistant commissioner of police (south) Vaibhav Sehgal said that they would waiting for the report of the industry department to initiate action.