Seven women workers lost their lives and dozens of others were hospitalized after a major ammonia gas leak at a private seafood processing factory in Manjangaranai near Periyapalayam in Tamil Nadu’s Thiruvallur district on Sunday.
According to police and district officials, the leak occurred at a seafood export unit, triggering panic among workers and exposing many to toxic fumes. A total of 67 affected employees were rushed to nearby hospitals for emergency treatment.
Thiruvallur District Collector S. Kavitha said 46 workers were admitted to Vels Hospital, while 21 others were taken to Venkateshwara Hospital. Due to the severity of their condition, nine critically ill patients were later shifted to Government Stanley Medical College Hospital for specialized treatment.
Doctors treating the victims said most of the affected workers were young women aged between 24 and 25 years. One senior physician stated that 44 patients, including 43 women and one man, had been admitted to their facility. Of these, 15 to 16 patients required intubation, while 11 were placed on ventilator support due to respiratory distress caused by ammonia exposure.
Medical teams are closely monitoring the patients’ vital signs, particularly blood pressure levels, which remain low in several cases. Despite the critical nature of some injuries, doctors expressed cautious optimism about recovery prospects, citing the relatively young age of the affected workers.
District Collector Kavitha visited both the factory site and hospitals to review rescue and relief operations. Authorities have launched a formal investigation into the incident to determine the exact cause of the ammonia leak. Preliminary reports suggest a possible valve malfunction, though officials have not yet confirmed the source.
The investigation will also examine whether the seafood processing unit complied with mandatory industrial safety standards and protocols. The tragedy has renewed concerns about workplace safety in hazardous industries and the need for stricter monitoring of factories handling toxic substances.
Rescue efforts and medical treatment for the injured continue as authorities assess the full impact of the incident.
