Ammonia gas leak from ice plant leads to tense moments

Ammonia gas leak from an ice bar manufacturing unit at Vaainyakudi near here gave tense moments to officials and villagers on Monday.

The unit supplies ice bars to fishing harbours at Colachel and Thaengaaipattinam.

On Monday morning, ammonia gas — refrigerant used in ice bar manufacturing units — started leaking through a crack in the metal pipe connecting the ammonia gas cylinders. Workers at the plant and residents of Vaaniyakudi had to leave the place as the pungent smelling gas caused breathing problems.

Police and fire and rescue services personnel facilitated the evacuation.

A team of 25 firefighters, all fitted with clinical oxygen cylinders to ensure easy breathing, entered the ice manufacturing unit and sprayed water for about four hours to nuetralise the gas effect. The firefighters, who got exposed to ammonia for a few minutes, were given medical assistance and they recovered.

Only after the police formally announced that the gas leak had completely subsided, the residents returned home.