At least eight killed, hundreds taken ill as gas leaks from Vizag chemical plant

At least eight people were killed and hundreds taken ill, many collapsing to the ground as they tried to escape, when gas leaked from a chemical plant here in the early hours of Thursday and quickly spread to villages in a five kilometre radius.

Hours after the styrene gas leak around 2.30 am from the multinational L G Polymers Plant at R R Venkatapuram village near here, scores of people could be seen lying unconscious on sidewalks and near ditches, raising fears of a major industrial disaster.

Among the dead was a child and two people who fell into a borewell while escaping from the vapours from the plant, getting ready to reopen after the lockdown.

As rescue officers and police personnel rushed to take people to hospital and revive them, many people could be seen gasping for breath as they staggered their way to safety, dazed and stunned. Some tried to walk but fell to the ground in a faint.

People in ground zero, R R Venkatapuram village in Gopalapatnam, were evacuated. Cries for