At least 50 women workers were hospitalized on Tuesday after a gas leak at an apparel manufacturing plant in the Brandix Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Andhra Pradesh’s Atchutapuram.
According to initial reports, the women fell unconscious due to vomiting and nausea from inhaling poisonous gas at Quantum Seeds, a unit in Brandix.
Anakapalle police said that a few women fell ill following a gas leak in a company located in Atchutapuram. Some of them were rushed to a local hospital. No one was allowed to enter the premises as police waited for Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Bureau (APPCB) officials to arrive and assess the plant.
Anakapalle inspector of police said, “The incident took place between 6:15 pm to 7 pm. There were around 1000 employees in the second shift, which was between 2 pm to 10 pm. 50 women complaining of vomiting and nausea were shifted to Ankapalle Hospital.”
The official further said, “All others have been evacuated. The situation is under control. The employees fell sick with mild symptoms and are undergoing treatment. The reason for the incident is yet to be known. No fatalities have been reported.”
The real cause of the sickness was not known immediately as medical examinations were underway at the plant to assess the gas leak incident.
Some of the workers were administered with first aid in the medical centre in the SEZ, others had to be shifted to nearby hospitals, reported PTI quoting police. The report also mentioned that some of the workers who fell sick were pregnant.
It may be noted that the Brandix SEZ employs thousands of workers, most of whom are women, in the garment manufacturing units.
Police have launched a full-scale investigation into the matter after smell of gas receded in the plant and it was declared safe to enter.
Earlier, over 200 women had fallen ill in a similar incident of gas leak on June 3 at the SEZ, after complaining of eyesore, nausea and vomiting. The fresh incident has led to panic among the workers there.
