Ammonia Gas Leak Claims One Life in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri

Panic prevailed in the Jalpaiguri district after ammonia gas leaked in a cold storage plant. Soon after three workers were shifted to the Jalpaiguri Super Specialty Hospital where one was declared brought dead while two others were undergoing treatment.

Jalpaiguri (West Bengal):A cold storage plant worker died after inhaling an ammonia gas in the Jalpaiguri district on Saturday morning. The incident triggered panic in and around the cold storage plant. Besides one casualty, two people fell seriously ill due to a sudden ammonia gas leak early in the morning. One died when he was being shifted to the Jalpaiguri Super Specialty Hospital.

The deceased has been identified as Qutubuddin Sheikh (45). The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been called in to control the situation. A 50-member NDRF team from Siliguri arrived at Ghugudanga. According to local sources, ammonia gas suddenly started coming out from the cold storage plant on Saturday morning at Ghugudanga in Jalpaiguri district.

Police sources revealed that the Janata Cold Storage plant was being cleaned on Saturday morning. During the process, an ammonia gas pipe ruptured and among the three one fell seriously ill while two others also faced difficulty in breathing.

Immediately, Qutubuddin Sheikh was rushed to the Jalpaiguri Super Specialty Hospital for treatment. Later, the worker died while undergoing treatment. After the incident, the administration made an announcement urging the employees and locals not to enter within a 200-metre radius of the cold storage.

Deputy Commandant of NDRF Vivek Kumar said that the team came to shut off the gas flow from the ammonia gas plant after being informed by the Jalpaiguri district administration.

A team of 30 is working by checking the amount of gas leaked with multi gas detector. The situation is now under control. Firefighters were told to spray water. Cold storage worker Insan Sheikh said, "We were working. As soon as Qutubuddin stepped on the pipe, gas started coming out. Then Qutubuddin fell unconscious. Doctors declared him dead when he was taken to the hospital."