Workers faint after fire accident at seafood factory in Tamil Nadu

Thoothukudi: Following a fire accident at a private seafood processing plant, 17 women employees fainted after suffering suffocation, officials said on Saturday.

A factory official said as many as five fire engines were deployed after an electrical short circuit occurred late Friday night, leading to the incident at the Pudurpandiapuram factory.

“The incident occurred on Friday evening due to a fire accident. The rising smoke filled the place with thick fumes, resulting in suffocation of the employees, most of whom were women,” said the plant’s general manager Velmurugan.

“Nearly 120 employees were working in two shifts at the factory. Currently, 17 of them are hospitalized and are being treated in various private hospitals nearby. Five fire engines were deployed and the fire was extinguished after about three to four hours,” he told reporters.

He said all 17 female employees were safe and denied that there was either an ammonia leak or a gas leak at the plant, as reported in some media.

“There is no ammonia leak… This is fake news,” he said in response to a question.

Two of the firefighters became ill from inhaling the smoke and were also taken to the local hospital, he said.

“We have suspended the factory operations. All women, including those from the surrounding areas and those who were staying in the dormitory on the factory premises, have been shifted to another factory as a precautionary measure,” he said.

Officials are currently investigating the scene of the incident, he said.

Meanwhile, a senior police official said that no case had been registered in the incident.

“We are gathering details and can then pass on information,” he said.