Ammonia gas leakage at industrial building claims employee's life in Andhra's Nandyal

KURNOOL:  A private Agro industry worker died and three others fell ill after inhaling Ammonia gas that leaked from the industry at Nandyal in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday morning.

The SPY Agros company management had taken up maintenance work of the pipeline that supplies Ammonia gas from the storage tank to the chilling plant and was trying to commence operations when the gas leaked, Pollution Control Board (PCB) officials said.

PCB Executive Engineer Muni Prasad said liquified CO2 (carbon dioxide) gas is supplied to the bottling plant in the unit and Ammonia gas is used for chilling purpose. "There was a maintenance problem in the pipeline that supplies Ammonia from the storage tank and the management had said it would rectify the problem. Maintenance work was taken up today morning and while it was being made operational, the gas leaked from the pipeline,'' he said.

At least four workers, including General Manager Srinivas, were present at the site when the mishap took place. Srinivas fell unconscious after inhaling the gas and died on the spot while the three other could rush out. The condition of all three is stable.

The PCB official said that the situation is under control now and water is being sprayed to contain the spread of the gas. District collector G Veera Pandian said there is no reason for local residents to panic as the gas leakage took place in one of the rooms inside the plant. Police, revenue, medical and health and fire services personnel are at the spot to contain the gas leakage.