A poisonous gas leak at a private steel mill claimed the life of six workers at Tadipatri in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district on Thursday.
Gerdau Steel India Ltd factory, where the incident occurred is situated on the outskirts of the town and is owned by a Gerdau SA who is based in Sao Paolo and is one of the largest steel manufacturers in the American sub-continent.
The gas leak occurred while testing was being done after maintenance work in the unit, said District Superintendent of Police G Ashok Kumar to PTI.
“As per preliminary information, two workers died on the spot and four others in hospital. Carbon monoxide is the main gas used for reheating process and its leak caused the mishap,” the police officer said.
The gas reportedly started leaking from the plant at around 5:30 pm and choked workers who were working close to the furnace.
B Ranganath (21), K Manoj Kumar (24), U Gangadhar (37), S A Wasim Basha (39), K Shiva Maddileti alias Lingaiah (26) and Guruvaiah (40) were identified as the six workers killed, reported the Hindustan Times.
Five others have suffered serious injured and have been admitted to the hospital, two of whom are said to be in a critical condition. “The plant was closed immediately and an emergency squad was pressed into service to stem the leakage,” sub-inspector Ramakrishna Reddy.
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The company also put out an statement where it was said that, “Gerdau sadly informs that an accident occurred at its Tadipatri steel plant, in India, this evening, resulting in six casualties. Gerdau immediately provided medical assistance and the workers were sent to the local hospital.”
“The company is assisting the family of the victims and is working to determine the cause of the accident. The company is also extending all cooperation to local authorities. Operations at the unit have been suspended and will resume only after an extensive safety inspection.”