Suspected Gas Leak: More Than 50 Women Workers Fall Sick In Apparel SEZ

Over 50 women who worked at an apparel manufacturing unit in the Brandix Special Economic Zone in Atchutapuram, near Visakhapatnam, became ill on Tuesday as a result of a suspected gas leak.

This is the second such incident in two months, according to news agency PTI.

“The gas leak reportedly took place on the premises of Brandix. 50 people have been shifted to hospitals, and evacuation is underway. More details awaited,” ANI quoted the Anakapalli SP as saying.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, when over 4,000 women were working in the factory. While working, some women complained of a sudden headache, suffocation, cough, and nausea, and some fainted before being taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The condition of all the women is stable.

When the previous incident occurred in June, some of the women among the more than 300 who became ill as a result of the poisonous gas leak were pregnant, causing outrage among the locals. A probe has been ordered, but there has been no word on the status of the mysterious gas leak. The most recent incident occurred on June 3.

According to the factory’s statement, some female workers complained of an unpleasant and strong odour, so they were taken to the hospital as a precaution.

“The safety and well-being of our associates is of utmost importance and we have evacuated all of them. The affected associates are in stable condition,” the company said in a statement.

A team of experts from the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology in Hyderabad visited the lab soon after the incident and conducted tests to determine the cause of the leak.

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board ordered that the lab be closed. The Porus lab was shut down for a few days following the incident, but it quickly resumed operations.

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