Following a Coimbatore ammonia gas leak, 300 homes were evacuated

Following reports of an ammonia gas leak from a closed chip manufacturing facility in Chenniveerampalayam village near Karamadai in the Coimbatore district on Monday night, some 300 households were evacuated from the area. The location is two kilometers from the site where, earlier in the day, a massive fire destroyed 45 cottages belonging to SC families.

For their own protection, the residents were instructed to keep at least 200 meters away from the settlement. At twelve in the morning, the private company’s safety crew was working to stop the gas leak. Coimbatore rural police sent thirty officers to the area in the meanwhile. According to accounts, a few of the residents complained of breathing issues and eye discomfort.

About eight years ago, a chips manufacturing facility was located in Chenniveerampalayam hamlet on the Karamadai-Annur route. The plant produced chips and french fries, which were sold to other nations. After the business closed four years ago, Ashik Mohammed of Avinashi purchased the premises and began the renovations. Inside the facility, there was a cold storage for potatoes. Ammonia gas spilled from the cold storage tank, spreading over an area of around 800 meters in all directions from the business. Rescue workers raced to the scene and closed the tank’s valve.

By Monday night at approximately 11 p.m., the ammonia was cleared from the air and the spread had shrunk to a radius of 100 meters.

As a precaution, the villagers were forced to leave their homes and take shelter at a marriage hall. Cars were rerouted to a different path.