Chennai: The toll in the Tamil Nadu ammonia leaks has gone up to eight While two women died on Sunday, six women succumbed on Monday. Seven of the victims were from Odisha and one of them hailed from Assam. The ammonia gas had leaked from a pipeline connected to the ice flake machine facility at St Peter and Paul Seafood Exports Pvt Ltd near Periyapayalam in Tiruvallur district, adjoining the State capital Chennai. While two women had died on Sunday, five succumbed in hospitals, three in the morning and two later in the day. All victims were migrant workers, mostly hailing from Odisha.
Leak Origin Identified
Earlier in the day, Labour Minister J Mohamed Farvas in a suo motu statement told the Legislative Assembly five women had died (toll went up later) and in all 74 workers including four men were affected. He said the State will bear the expenses to transport their mortal remains to their native places. Stating a committee would complete its inquiry into the industrial accident within 72 hours, he said the Government has also decided to constitute a panel to inspect over 6,600 hazardous factory units situated across the State to ensure such tragedies did not occur.
The Health Department, in a media bulletin, said over 60 persons were currently undergoing treatment in various hospitals. Among them 31 were on ventilator, 11 in the ICU with oxygen support and one on non-invasive ventilator support.
