PARADIP: Nearly 10 people including schoolchildren and teachers reported symptoms of suffocation and eye irritation while a 65-year-old woman was hospitalised due to ammonia gas leak at an ice factory in the industrial estate of Paradipgarh on Wednesday.
The incident took place around 11.30 am at Paradip ice factory. On being informed, the administration immediately deployed police and fire services personnel at the site. The leak was brought under control by 2.05 pm after emergency containment operations were carried out.
Sources said at the time of the leak, around 30 students of Paradip ITI, located just 50 metre from the ice factory, were attending classes.
Additionally, 10 female teachers were on duty in the nearby SK Academy school. Due to the gas leak, several students of Paradip ITI and a teacher experienced eye irritation, itching and breathing difficulties.
A woman, Bijayalaxmi Panda (65), reportedly lost consciousness due to gas inhalation and was promptly admitted to Paradip community health centre at Atharbanki for treatment. Factory workers were immediately evacuated, and entry to the premises was restricted. Locals alleged that the leakage was caused by poor maintenance and corrosion on old gas cylinders, raising concerns about safety issues at the factory.
Kujang fire station officer Kartik Biswal said the factory had received eight ammonia gas cylinders, each containing 60 kg, on Tuesday. Two cylinders reportedly started leaking between 8 and 9 am on the day. Despite the leak, no information was initially passed on to the administration.
Biswal said one of the cylinders even burst, but was safely submerged in water to neutralise the gas. All cylinders were subsequently relocated from the premises. The fire personnel operated under chemical safety protocols, using fire proximity suits, breathing apparatuses and continuous water sprays to dilute the concentration of ammonia and reduce exposure risks. Fortunately, there was no fire or explosion. As a precautionary measure, all factory personnel were safely evacuated, he added.
Paradip ADM Niranjan Behera, additional SP Smruti Ranjan Kar and other senior police officials supervised the operation.