Sleeping People Sickened By Leaking Ammonia Gas

April 5, 201313 yr

An ammonia gas leak from an ice-making factory in east Pattaya forced the evacuation of nearly 1,000 residents, with many sickened by the gas. A big group of children camping at a nearby mosque also suffered burning eyes, noses and vomiting. It was the third ammonia gas leak at the factory.

PATTAYA – April 5, 2013 [PDN]; at 4:30 a.m., a report that an ice factory’s ammonia gas pipe had exploded and was leaking ammonia gas was received by the officers of public disaster relief, Nong Preu municipal, Amphur Banglamung, Chonburi. Dispatched to the scene were the fire truck, ambulance, and rescue officers of Sawangboribultharmmasatharn Pattaya foundation.

The incident occurred at the R.S. Tube Ice Co., Ltd., address 209/1 Soi Pornpraphanimit 8, Moo 6 Tambon Nong Preu, Amphur Banglamung, Chonburi province.

Also responding to the emergency were Mr. Mine Chainit, the Lord Mayor of Meuang Nong Preu; Mr. Theeravit Thongnok, the Assistant of Nong Preu municipal; and the officers of the Protecting and Relief of Public Disaster of Nong Preu municipal.

Officers arrived at the scene, a medium-size ice factory surrounded by people’s houses. From within the factory, the ammonia gas had leaked out until there was the smell of ammonia dispersed all over the area. The officers began spraying water into the ice factory to dilute the ammonia gas.

Most of the people living nearby had been sleeping and got sickened by the leaking gas that burned their eyes and caused vomiting. The symptoms were especially hazardous for the children and old people, who had to evacuate from their houses to stay at their relatives’ houses temporarily.

The leaking gas also affected a large group of more than 100 students camping at the nearby mosque. They suffered burning in their eyes and noses until they vomited. The officers assisted to help them recover and then moved all the students to a safe place.

The Lord Mayor of Nong Preu, Mr. Mine Chainit, said his investigation revealed that this was the third instance of ammonia gas leaking from this ice factory. The leaks clearly showed that the factory was operating without safety standards, so the Lord Mayor talked with the factory owner and ordered him to relocate the factory to another place, because this factory was located too near the community and the homes of people.

This time the leak was a very severe incident that affected many victims. For the initial problem solving, he had commanded the officers of Protecting and Relief of Public Disaster to spray water over the pipe and around the ice factory to dilute and reduce the quantity of ammonia gas fumes

Later the truck will be brought to pump the water mixture of the ammonia gas and later drain it at the polluted water well, which the Lord Mayor expected would stabilize the situation. For victims who suffered severe or allergic reactions to the ammonia gas, Banglamung hospital already acknowledged they had been notified, and had prepared to handle patients who got impacted seriously from the ammonia gas.

This instance of leakage of ammonia gas was caused by a pipe of ammonia gas that exploded and ruptured. The factory is expected to fix and resolve the problem, and then its facilities and operations will be checked and evaluated by every related government department, such as the industrial unit, public health unit, and municipal unit, the Lord Mayor said. If they decide that the factory cannot operate to solve the ongoing safety problems, then the factory has to be closed.