A pipe carrying ammonia gas leaked in the early hours on Saturday, July 20, inside Nila Sea Foods, a fish processing and preserving plant in Pudur Pandiyapuram in Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu. Around 30 workers, mostly from North India, experienced severe symptoms such as breathing difficulties, giddiness, and eye irritation. They have been admitted to two private hospitals, the Puthiamputhur town police said.

According to the preliminary investigation by the police, the pipe carrying ammonia gas leaked due to a reported electrical malfunction. Puthiamputhur police said that the factory preserved fish and ammonia gas was used and sprayed over fish to preserve them for several weeks. “There seems to have been a leak somewhere. We are yet to receive a written complaint since the workers who were at the plant have all been rushed for treatment. We are conducting a preliminary investigation at the plant and will soon file a First Information Report (FIR),” a police source said.

In December 2023, 42 people were hospitalised in Chennai’s Ennore after ammonia gas had leaked from the pipes carrying the gas into the Coromandel International Limited (CIL) plant.