5 killed, several hospitalized after gas leak at chemical plant in Vizag

Visakhapatnam: Five people, including a child, were killed and nearly 70 hospitalized after a gas leak at a chemical plant in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam in the wee hours of Thursday, officials said.

People in the Gopalapatnam area, where the chemical plant is located, complained of irritation in eyes, breathlessness, nausea, and rashes on their bodies.

District Collector V Vinay Chand said that two people were killed due to the gas leak, while some are in a critical condition.

“Close to 70 people have been admitted to the King George Hospital after treatment,” he said.

TV channels showed people lying unconscious on roads. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have rushed to the spot.

Reports said the gas leak has been contained.

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy enquired about the incident and directed the Visakhapatnam district collector to ensure proper medical care for the affected people.