Seven Workers Die in Ammonia Gas Leak at Kannigaipair Seafood Unit
Seven guest workers died and over 40 people were hospitalized following an ammonia gas leak at a private seafood export unit in Kannigaipair near Periyapalayam in Tiruvallur district on Sunday.
According to local police sources, approximately 120 guest workers, including women from Assam, Odisha, and Jharkhand, were staying on the factory premises. The workers were inside their accommodation because it was a holiday when the incident occurred.
The ammonia leak reportedly originated from the seafood processing unit and quickly spread across the premises, affecting multiple workers. Many of those affected complained of severe breathing difficulties, while some suffered bleeding from their mouths and noses.
Emergency responders, including personnel from the Periyapalayam police station, Fire and Rescue Services, the revenue department, and the health department, rushed to the site to carry out rescue operations.
The affected workers were initially rushed to nearby private hospitals for medical treatment, where seven of them died. Nine other workers who were in critical condition were later shifted from a private hospital to the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital in Chennai for further care.
Following a request from the Tiruvallur district administration, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed a specialized Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) response team from Arakkonam. The 30-member team was equipped with gas detection devices and other specialized rescue gear to secure the area.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay instructed officials to form a committee to enquire into the fatal incident. A three-member committee has been established, consisting of the director of Industrial Safety and Health, the member secretary of the Pollution Control Board, and the additional director of public health. The committee is directed to submit an interim report within 24 hours and a final report in three days.
The Periyapalayam police have registered a case regarding the leak, and further investigation is currently underway.
