30 hospitalised after gas leak in Thoothukudi seafood unit

THIRTY female workers of a private seafood exporting unit at Pudurpandiapuram in Thoothukudi district and a fire and rescue services officer were admitted to hospitals after they fainted due to suspected ammonia gas leak at the plant on Friday night.

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Five of the affected are being treated at the Intensive Care Unit. All the victims are stable and recovering, hospital sources said.

According to sources, the employees working in night shift were on a break on Friday night when smoke began billowing out from the cold storage unit located some 100 metres from their work place. The women were hit by the smoke- which had a pungent smell according to one victim-causing them to suffocate and faint.

An employee at the unit said a fire at the cold storage unit caused by electrical issues triggered the smoke. "Fire in cables sandwiched between the cold storage wall and the PUF (polyurethane foam) panels, a thermal insulator, triggered the blaze that gutted a portion of the unit. A charred PUF panel produced the smoke," he said.