Vizag gas leak: victims ran towards fields, children found collapsed on roads

Vishakapatnam : The city, on Thursday, woke up to gut-wrenching scenes. Hundreds of people fell unconscious while trying to run away after gas leaked from the LG Polymers plant at the Gopalapatnam area. Children, women, and men were seen lying across the streets and roads.

Tragedy struck Vizag city on Thursday when eleven people were killed including two children and over 1,200 others fell sick after (styrene) gas leaked from the LG Polymers plant at the Gopalapatnam area.As per reports, the leakage started around 2.30 am from LG Polymers plant at RR Venkatapuram near Naiduthota in Vizag city.Due to the gas leak (Styrene Monomer) , people living in over 4-kilometer radius suffered from vomiting and breathing problems.

Children were inconsolable while semi-conscious parents were trying hard to comfort them. Several people fell into sewers and canals while trying to escape. A few tried carrying their unconscious family members on two-wheelers.

A man identified as Gangaraju drowned into the well while trying to escape.

Due to the gas leak, people living in 4-kilometer radius suffered from vomiting and breathing problems. People also complained of rashes on their bodies and irritation in eyes.

The Medical and Health Officials deployed 24 ambulances and pressed some RTC buses into service to take people to hospitals. As many as 500 people were taken to hospitals and three villages evacuated. However, within hours of reaching the hospital, seven people including two kids from the affected villages were declared dead by doctors. The condition of over 20 is said to be still critical.