60 hospitalized after ammonia gas leak at fertilizer plant in Chennai

An ammonia gas leak from a pipeline running from sea to the factory of a private fertilizer company in Ennore near here on Tuesday led to hospitalization of at least 60 people, including children, after they complained of breathlessness and irritation in eyes, and giddiness due to the strong odour of the chemical.

The incident caused panic among residents of Chinnakuppam, Periyakuppam, and Thalankuppam, who rushed out of their homes at around 11.30 pm on Tuesday after locals alerted them about the gas leak from Coromandel International Limited, owned by Murugappa Group.

Hundreds of people were moved to near-by temples and community halls as the strong odour of ammonia rent the air, even as 60 people were rushed to government and private hospitals. While eight were discharged on Wednesday, several of the 52 still under observation are on oxygen support, implying the magnitude of the gas leak.

The incident and aftermath

While the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) said the gas leak was contained within 20 minutes, the company said it has suspended operations at the factory and will resume functioning after “rectification of abnormalities to the satisfaction and certification” of authorities concerned.

Ammonia received via Ennore minor port through ships is transferred to the factory using a 8-inch flexible HDPE pipeline of 2.5 km length laid underneath the sea bed.

As the National Green Tribunal’s Southern Bench took suo motu cognizance of the gas leak, the TNPCB constituted an expert committee with professors from IIT-M and other institutes to study the gas leak and submit an interim report in a day and a detailed report within three days.

“The company has been instructed to identify the exact location and the extent of pipeline damage before commencing the ammonia transfer from the ship,” the TNPCB said in a statement.

The gas leak not just affected people living in the area, who complained of breathlessness, giddiness and vomiting, the incident seems to have had a major impact on marine life as well with fishermen finding thousands of fish, prawn, and crab dead.

“While returning from work at around 11.30 pm, we noticed unusual bubbles in the sea. And when we came to the village, we couldn’t breathe. I vomited twice. That is when we saw the whole village coming to the streets,” Parthasarathy, a fisherman from Thalankuppam, told DH.

‘People inhaled ammonia’

On Wednesday, villagers staged a protest outside the factory demanding its permanent closure. “We don’t need any explanation from the government or from the company. If the company continues to function here, it will become another Bhopal (gas tragedy),” a protestor said.

Prabhakaran Veeraarasu, Environmental Engineer, Poovulagin Nanbargal, an NGO, said since ammonia is lighter than air, it disperses within a few hours. “But since the leak happened at night, the ammonia stayed in the air due to high moisture content and that’s the reason people complained of breathlessness and dizziness. I believe they were exposed to extreme levels of ammonia for a couple of hours last night,” he told DH. DH.

The gas leak comes just as people in Ennore, which is surrounded by several polluting industries, are slowly limping back to normalcy after being affected by the oil spill from a refinery owned by the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL). The oil from the refinery, which was let into the flood water, entered their homes affecting their livelihood and damaging household items and even boats parked on the seashore.

Though the gas leak was controlled in 20 minutes, ammonia level in the ambient air and in the sea rose to alarming levels by 3 am on Wednesday. Ammonia in the air and in the sea were five times and 10 times the standard level, though it came down to 0 ppm by 4 am, according to the TNPCB.

‘Why was the ammonia level not taken in the right location?’

However, environmental activist Nityanand Jayaraman said the areas where the TNPCB took the ammonia level should have been south-west of the leak area as it moved downwind.

“Three-four hours post leak, Ammonia plume would have moved south-west. Why have samples been taken from west of source and not from southwest where plume is likely to be?” he asked and demanded strict action against the fertilizer company for the gas leak.

Veeraarasu said the damage to marine life in the ecologically-sensitive zone due to the gas leak will be huge.

“Once ammonia mixes with water, it is converted into ammonium hydroxide which is deadly for marine life. That is why we see deaths of fish and prawns in the area. Only the government knows the magnitude of the gas leak and it should take necessary steps to protect marine ecology,” he said.

As several people complained of burning sensation in eyes and other symptoms, the Greater Chennai Corporation and Health Department have rushed three lung specialists and three general medicine doctors to the spot to conduct check-ups on the affected. So far, five medical camps have been conducted in the area.

What did TNPCB say?

The gas leak occurred in the subsea pipeline of the Murugappa Group company which manufactures Ammonium Phosphate Potash Sulphate (APPS) and has a double insulated ammonium storage tank of 12500 T capacity.

The unit receives and unloads ammonia of 3000 to 8000 tonnes once a month, which are generally imported from Iran or Saudi Arabia. Ammonia is received in liquid form at -330 C and stored in the storage tank under the same condition, the TNPCB said.

In its initial observation, the TNPCB said the unit observed pressure drop in the pipeline at around 11.45 pm and simultaneously observed pungent odour around the storage terminal and near the material gate.

“The unit also immediately visited the pipeline location across the road and observed gas bubbles coming out of the pipeline at about 2’ from the shore. The unit immediately started depressurizing the pipeline by diverting the ammonia vapour to the flare and completed the operation within 20 minutes,” a statement from the TNPCB said.

The unit monitored the ammonia level in the ambient air near the material gate using a hand held monitor and found that the ammonia level was 28 ppm during the incident.

“The unit has been instructed to carry out the above activity at war footing and to put the pipeline in operation only with the concurrence of competent authority i.e. Tamil Nadu Maritime Board,” the statement added.

The company’s response

The company, on its part, said it noticed abnormality in the ammonia unloading subsea pipeline near shoreside, outside the plant premises at 11.30 am during routine operation.

“Our standard operating procedure was activated immediately, and we isolated the ammonia system facility and brought the situation to normalcy in the shortest time,” Amir Alvi, President & Head, Manufacturing (Fertilizer) & Supply Chain, Coromandel International Limited, said in a statement.