6 dead, 100 in hospital after gas leak at India chemical plant

At least six people, including a child, were killed and around 100 hospitalised after a gas leak at a chemicals plant in Visakhapatnam in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh in the wee hours of today, officials said.

People in Gopalapatnam area, where the privately-owned chemical plant -- LG Polymers Pvt Limited -- is located, complained of irritation in eyes, breathlessness, nausea and rashes on their bodies, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

District Collector V Vinay Chand said two people were killed due to the gas leak while some are in critical condition.

Close to 70 people have been admitted at King George Hospital, he said.

Indian TV channels showed people lying unconscious on roads and rescuers pulling them up and putting them in ambulances.

Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have rushed to the spot amidst reports that the gas leak has been contained.

"There is gas leakage identified at LG Polymers in Gopalpatnam. Requesting citizens around these locations not to come out of houses for the sake of safety precautions," the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation tweeted.

Set up in 1961 as Hindustan Polymers, the company was taken over by South Korea's LG Chem and renamed as LG Polymers India in 1997.

The plant makes polystyrene and expandable polystyrene, a versatile plastic used to make a wide variety of consumer products like toys and appliances.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he spoke to officials of the federal Home Ministry and National Disaster Management Authority regarding the situation in Visakhapatnam, "which is being monitored closely."

Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah termed the gas leak incident as "disturbing" and said the situation was being continuously and closely monitored.