THOOTHUKUDI: Thirty female workers at a private seafood exporting unit in Pudurpandiapuram, Tamil Nadu, and a fire and rescue services officer were hospitalized after fainting from a suspected ammonia gas leak on Friday night. Five of the victims are in the ICU, but all are stable and recovering, according to hospital sources.
The incident occurred during the night shift when employees were on break. Smoke with a pungent smell began billowing from a cold storage unit 100 meters away, causing the women to suffocate and lose consciousness. An employee reported that an electrical fire in the cold storage unit caused the smoke. The fire, which started in cables between the cold storage wall and the polyurethane foam (PUF) panels, gutted part of the unit and charred a PUF panel, producing the smoke.
A worker from Odisha recounted that she was chatting with colleagues during the break when the smoke suddenly engulfed them. The quick spread of the smoke and its intensity led to immediate distress among the workers.
Emergency services responded swiftly, transporting the affected individuals to local hospitals. The cause of the electrical issues leading to the fire and subsequent ammonia gas leak is under investigation.
This incident highlights the need for stringent safety measures and regular maintenance checks in industrial units to prevent such occurrences and ensure worker safety.