Ammonia gas leaks from Chennai fertiliser unit, people experience unease; hospitalised

Ammonia gas leaked from a fertiliser manufacturing unit at Ennore in north Chennai and several people have been hospitalised, official sources said here on Wednesday.

Following the leak from the plant, at about 11.45 pm on December 26, an odour that caused discomfort spread across the neighbourhood. Soon, over 25 people in residential neighbourhoods such as Periya Kuppam in the vicinity of the manufacturing facility experienced unease, nausea and faintness and they were taken to nearby hospitals, sources added.

As soon as word spread about the gas leak, people rushed out of their homes in panic and gathered on roads and sought help. At the same time, sources said officials of the fertiliser unit ‘took steps to rectify the technical issue.’

Police personnel pacified people by telling them that experts are addressing the issue and requested them to go back to their homes as ‘there is no problem’.