KANNIYAKUMARI : Eight people, including five contract workers and three fire service personnel, were admitted to the hospital, after they inhaled chlorine gas following a leakage at a treatment plant at Krishnankovil on Thursday.
Sources said that the trial run of water from Puthen dam to Nagercoil municipal corporation has been going on at the treatment plant at Krishnankovil in Nagercoil. Chlorine was recently injected into the water pipe. On Thursday, a worker was detaching a 100-litre chlorine cylinder from the pipe, when it leaked. As chlorine spread, five workers suffered suffocation.
On information, fire service personnel, led by District Fire Officer S Sathya Kumar and Assistant District Fire Officer M Thurai, rushed to the spot. Three personnel suffered suffocation in the process of cooling the gas, even though they had their noses and mouths covered. Those affected were rushed to private hospitals. An official said some workers were undergoing treatment at the Kanniyakumari Government Medical College Hospital. After the gas was cleared, the treatment plant resumed operation.