India’s LG Chem plant widens evacuation area after deadly toxic gas leak
- Twelve have died and about 1,000 were left struggling to breathe after the leak at the LG Polymers plant in Visakhapatnam in the state of Andhra Pradesh
- People in 5km radius of the plant are being moved out as a precautionary measure, as the company denies a second leak
There was confusion about whether the wider evacuation orders were sparked by a renewed leak at the LG Chem factory in Andhra Pradesh, or by the fear that rising temperatures at the plant could lead to another leak.
“No, there was not another leakage,’’ National Disaster Response Force spokesman Krishan Kumar said Friday, as people in a 5km radius of the factory were being moved out.
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South Korea-based LG Chem said on Friday that contrary to earlier reports, “it has been confirmed there was no second gas leak at the plant”.
“We have asked the police to evacuate residents near the plant as a precautionary measure,” a spokesman said. The company was concerned that temperatures in a 3,000 tonne gas tank holding styrene would rise, but is taking measures such as putting water into the tank.
“Investigations are still under way to determine the cause and damage of the accident. We have no further details to share with media at this moment,” the spokesman said.
The company management has been charged with culpable homicide and causing death due to negligence, among other charges, police officer Ramannaih said. There have been no arrests.
A state administrator in the district, Vinay Chand, said authorities flew in chemicals from a neighbouring state to neutralise the gas completely before allowing people to return to their homes.
