A major ammonia gas leak occurred at a fish processing plant in the Baikampady industrial area of Mangaluru on Thursday, resulting in serious health complications for several workers. The incident happened around 4:30 p.m., when a transport pipeline inside the facility began leaking.
Employees working nearby started experiencing breathing issues and raised an alarm. Panic ensued as workers began shouting for help, prompting the company to sound an emergency alert and immediately evacuate the premises.
The company management quickly arranged for emergency medical assistance. Four workers, all from North India, are said to be in critical condition and are currently being treated in the ICU of a private hospital in Mukka. An additional 25 employees, who also reported discomfort and respiratory problems, have been hospitalized for further care.
The facility, which employs over 200 workers, was operating in shifts at the time of the leak.
To contain the situation, teams from MCF (Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers) and the fire department were deployed to the site and promptly began containment operations.
Upon receiving the alert, Mangaluru Tahsildar, Deputy Tahsildar, and other revenue officials arrived at the scene to assess the incident and monitor response efforts. Additionally, Panambur Police officers launched an inquiry and initiated legal procedures.
Authorities are continuing to monitor the health of the affected workers and investigating the cause of the leak.