87 hospitalised after gas leak in company in Andhra’s Atchyutapuram, no casualties

As many as 87 people have been hospitalised following a gas leak at an apparel manufacturing unit in the Brandix Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Andhra Pradesh’s Atchyutapuram district on Tuesday (August 2).

No causalities have been reported yet. The victims are being treated. All are in a stable condition.

The pollution control board has taken the samples and will be sent to Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) in Secunderabad for examination.

Initial reports suggest that women employees fell unconscious due to vomiting and nausea.

Women workers had fallen sick allegedly after inhaling some poisonous gas at Quantum Seeds, a unit in Brandix in Anakapalli district.

As per Anakapalle Police, a few women fell ill after a gas leak was reported in a company located in Achutapuram. Some of them have been rushed to a local hospital. Police were waiting for APPCB officials to arrive and assess the situation and no one was allowed to enter inside the premises.

The real cause of the sickness has not been known as of now.

The Brandix SEZ employs thousands of workers, mostly women, in the garment manufacturing units.

However, at present, there is no smell of gas at the plant and police have launched an investigation into the matter.