1 dead in ammonia leak in Jalandhar factory
A 65-year-old man was asphyxiated to death due to ammonia leakage in an ice factory near Jalandhar’s Damoria flyover on Saturday.
A 65-year-old man was asphyxiated to death due to ammonia leakage in an ice factory near Jalandhar’s Damoria flyover on Saturday. A few others either fell unconscious or experienced breathing problems along with irritation in eyes but are stable. The deputy commissioner has ordered a magisterial inquiry.
The deceased has been identified as Sheetal Singh, who was trapped inside the factory during the leakage in pipes carrying ammonia. The reason behind the leakage is not known yet.
The leakage triggered a panic in the area housing many people in residential households and commercial units. The Jalandhar railway station is situated barely 100 metres away from the spot.
Eyewitnesses said the matter came to light when two cyclists fell unconscious while crossing through the front portion of the factory. Both civil and police administrations swung into action and initiated the rescue operation. The police immediately vacated the area, rushing the people to safe places before cordoning off the area.
“As the gas leaked, spreading in the air in no time, shopkeepers nearby reported difficulty in breathing and irritation in eyes. The matter was immediately reported to the police,” an eyewitness said.
Commissioner of police Swapan Sharma said, “Police personnel, in association with the civil administration and firefighters, did an exemplary job to control the situation. It took firefighters more than three hours to plug the leakage(s). The extent of the leakage could be gauged from the fact that it was impossible for the rescue teams to even stand in the affected area without masks and eye-protection gears.”
According to the police, two of the workers remained stuck inside the factory at the time of leakage while three or four others managed to rush out in time. The condition of another worker trapped inside is stated to be normal while a 65-year-old was asphyxiated to death due to the gas leakage. He was rushed to the Jalandhar civil hospital where doctors declared him dead. The deceased, suffering from hearing disability, was said to have been working there for the past four months.
The other affected people are stated to be stable. Sharma said the police are carrying out a detailed investigation and checking the records to see if the factory was operating legally in such a rushy and congested area. “We have initiated the process to register the case under Sections 106 (Causing death by negligence), 125 (Act endangering life or personal safety of others), 324 (mischief) and other sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the owners of the factory,” Sharma added.
Deputy commissioner (DC) Himanshu Aggarwal has ordered a magisterial inquiry, to be conducted by the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), Jalandhar-1. The SDM has been asked to ascertain the reason behind the gas leak and determine the circumstances under which the incident occurred besides fixing the responsibility for any lapse in safety protocols or negligence on the part of the factory management or others.
The DC stated the probe would also suggest preventive measures to avoid the recurrence of such incidents in future. The inquiry officer has to submit a report within 15 days, he added.