Two dead, four hospitalised after gas leakage at a Visakhapatnam firm

Two persons who died were workers and were present at the leakage site, said Uday Kumar, Inspector, Parwada Police Station

Two workers have died and four hospitalised following leakage of Benzimidazole gas at Sainor Life Sciences Pvt Ltd in Visakhapatnam.

"Two persons who died were workers and were present at the leakage site. Gas has not spread anywhere else," Uday Kumar, Inspector, Parwada Police Station, told ANI. 

The two victims have been identified as Narendra and Gowri Shankar, while another four persons are being treated at the King George Hospital. The condition of one of the hospitalised persons is reported to be critical. The local administration and police officials visited the scene to look into the mishap. The initial reports suggest technical issues behind the mishap.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy enquired about the accident due to gas leakage.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's Office (CMO) in a statement said that accident occurred due to leakage at 11.30 PM on Monday night. The factory was shut down immediately as a precautionary measure.

"The accident is confined to a department in which there is a reactor. There is no need to panic. The district collector has ordered an inquiry into the matter," read the statement. Chief Minister has ordered to provide the best medical treatment to those in the hospital.

As many as 12 people, including a minor, were killed when styrene vapours leaked from the LG Polymers plant on May 7, while several hundred fell ill after inhaling the poisonous chemical at R Venkatapuram near Visakhapatnam.