7 Workers Die After Ammonia Gas Leak at Kannigaipair Seafood Export Unit

An ammonia gas leak at a private seafood export facility in Kannigaipair, near Periyapalayam in the Tiruvallur district, left seven migrant workers dead and dozens hospitalized on Sunday, June 21, 2026. The toxic leak occurred at St Peter’s Paul Seafoods Exports Private Limited, where about 120 migrant workers, mostly women from Assam, Odisha, and Jharkhand, were staying in on-site accommodations.

Because Sunday was the unit's weekly holiday, many of the workers were inside their residential quarters on the factory campus when the gas began to spread. The ammonia leak originated from the seafood processing unit and quickly affected the nearby residential area. Many workers complained of severe breathing difficulties, while some suffered bleeding from the mouth and nose.

Tiruvallur District Collector S Kavitha said that 67 affected workers were rushed to local medical centers immediately after the incident. Of those, 46 were admitted to Vels Hospital and 21 to Venkateshwara Hospital. Nine critically ill patients were later moved by 108 ambulances to the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital in Chennai for advanced treatment, where they remain in critical condition.

Rescue operations were carried out by personnel from the Periyapalayam police station, Fire and Rescue Services, the Revenue Department, and the Health Department.

Following a request from the district administration, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed a specialized Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear response team from its 4th Battalion in Arakkonam. The 30-member team, equipped with gas detection devices, personal protective equipment, and specialized rescue gear, was sent to secure the area and assess the impact of the leak.

Chief Minister Vijay instructed the constitution of an inquiry committee to investigate the incident. The committee, comprising the Director of Industrial Safety and Health, the Pollution Control Board Member-Secretary, and the Additional Director of Public Health, has been asked to submit an interim report within 24 hours and a final report in three days.

The Chief Minister also directed IT Minister R Kumar, the district in-charge minister for Tiruvallur, to visit the spot with monitoring officer K P Karthikeyan to coordinate medical care with the Collector. The Periyapalayam police have registered a case and an investigation is underway.