Odisha: Following an ammonia gas leak at the Balasore prawn plant, 28 employees were sick

Up to 28 people were unwell on Wednesday as a result of breathing in ammonia gas that was leaking from a shrimp processing facility in the Balasore district of Odisha.

As soon as they arrived, police authorities and a fire rescue squad saved 28 workers from the Highland Agro Food Private Limited prawn plant and transported them to Khantapada Hospital. An official said that of them, 15 were sent to Balasore and other hospitals.

According to reports, the tragedy happened at approximately 7 o'clock in the hamlet of Gadabahanaga in the Khantapada region of the district.

"15 people were sent to Balasore while 28 were admitted to the neighbourhood community health centre at Khantapada. Only 7 employees have so far been sent to the hospital in the Balasore district headquarters, and of them, 4 are in critical condition "Dr. Julalsen Jagdev, the chief district medical officer for Balasore, revealed this yesterday.

He said that the personnel who were exposed to the gas complained of throat, nose, and respiratory tract burning.

"Lower amounts of the substance might irritate the nose, throat, and induce coughing. Many of them complained of having trouble breathing and having their eyes irritated. We provide them with oxygen so they can breathe. It is unknown how the other 8 employees are doing, including whether they were sent to Cuttack or Bhubaneswar or admitted to another hospital "added he. Pratap Sadangi, a former Union Minister and MP for Balasore, met the hospital staff members and had a medical check-up with them.Police in Balasore are looking into the situation.