121 Women Hospitalised After Andhra Factory Gas Leak, Probe Ordered

Andhra Pradesh gas leak: A state minister announced the decision to conduct probe and said the firm will remain closed until the investigation into the leakage concludes.

The Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday ordered a high-level probe into the gas leak in a garment factory that left over a hundred hospitalised in the Anakapalle district.

Andhra Pradesh Industries Minister Gudivada Amarnath announced the decision to conduct the probe and said the company will remain closed until the investigation into the leakage concludes. He pointed out that it was the second instance of gas leakage in the past two months.

As many as 121 women workers were affected and are being treated in various hospitals in the Anakapalle district after the accident at the factory.

In June, about 178 women workers fell sick after a gas leak at a laboratory in the Atchutapuram area of the state's Visakhapatnam, following which the government set up a joint committee to ascertain the cause. It was suspected that leakage of air conditioning gas was the cause.