300 families evacuated after ammonia gas leak in Coimbatore
COIMBATORE: Around 300 families were evacuated from Chenniveerampalayam village near Karamadai in Coimbatore district on Monday night after an ammonia gas leak was reported from a defunct chips manufacturing unit in the village. The place is situated two kilometres from where a huge fire destroyed 45 huts of SC families earlier day.
The people were asked to stay at least 200 metres away from the village for safety. The safety staff of the private company were trying to fix the gas leakage at 12 am. Meanwhile, Coimbatore rural police deployed 30 personnel at the village. Some of the villagers complained of eye irritation and breathing problems, sources said.
A chips manufacturing unit was functioning on Karamadai -Annur road at Chenniveerampalayam village around eight years ago. Chips and french fries were prepared at the unit, and they were exported to other countries. The company was closed four years ago and the unit was sold to Ashik Mohammed of Avinashi who had started the renovation work. There was a cold storage inside the unit for potatoes. Ammonia gas leaked from the cold storage tank, and it spread for around 800 metres radius from the company in the air. Rescue personnel rushed to the spot and shut the valve of the tank.
By the time, ammonia dissipated in the air and the spread reduced to 100 metres radius around 11 pm on Monday.
The people of the village were evacuated from the village and made to stay in a marriage hall as a precautionary measure. Vehicles were diverted to another route.