Five dead after inhaling poisonous gas

Amaravati: Five workers died today after allegedly inhaling poisonous gas in an aqua food processing unit at Mogalturu town in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, police said.

According to a senior police official in Eluru here, the five persons, aged between 21 and 25, were cleaning a tank filled with chemicals, used for shrimp processing, when they inhaled the gas, and died.

The poisonous gas was suspected to be ammonia, police said.

The tank is located over 100 meters away from Anand Aqua Food Processing unit at Nallavari Cheruvu under Mogalturu.

The deceased belonged to villages in the vicinity of the plant, police said.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu spoke to West Godavari District Collector Katamaneni Bhaskar and enquired about the incident. He directed Bhaskar to immediately take up relief measures.

Also, Deputy Chief Minister (Home) N China Rajappa spoke to district Superintendent of Police Bhaskar Bhushan and directed senior police officials to rush to the spot and submit a report.

YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy expressed shock and grief over the incident. He conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families.