As many as 74 people, who suffered breathlessness due to leakage of ammonia from one of the containers around 6.30 a.m. on Monday at a fish factory at Devalakunda village, have been admitted to the Adarsha Hospital at Kundapur in Udupi district.
Deputy Commissioner Hephsiba Rani Korlapati told The Hindu that the leakage occurred from a pipe from one of the containers connected to the Malpefresh Marine Export Pvt. Ltd. factory.
All the affected persons were hospitalised between 7.30 a.m. and 8.30 a.m., she said. Of the 74 people, two were under critical observation, while the rest were out of danger and were under general observation for 24 hours, she said.
Ms. Korlapati said that there were about 350 people staying on the factory premises. On receiving information of the leakage, a fire tender from the Fire and Emergency Services rushed to the spot. District Fire and Emergency Services Officer Vasanth Kumar and another worker managed to switch off the valve of the pipe, she said.
Probe ordered
“Prima facie, it appears that there has been negligence on the part of the factory management. I have ordered an enquiry into the incident by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate,” the Deputy Commissioner said.
Ms. Korlapati along with Superintendent of Police Nisha James visited the hospital and enquired about the health of the workers.
