ATTOCK:Scores of people especially women and children were affected by ammonia gas leakage from an under construction ice factory running illegally in a residential area along with GT road in Hassanabdal, police, rescue 1122 and civil defense sources said.
According to the information, most of people fainted in gas leakage incidents specially children. On getting information, Rescue 1122 and local administration teams reached the spot and controlled the leakage of the gas. As per reports, the labourers were on routine duty when suddenly the gas started leaking due to defective and substandard gas cylinders.
District Emergency Officer Attock Ali Hasnian has said following the incident, rescuers entered the factory using safety gadgets and controlled the gas leakage by closing the main valve of the gas cylinder.
According to rescue sources, the gas leakage enveloped the surrounding residential areas which left dozens unconscious who were taken to various hospitals of the area for treatment. He said that liquid ammonia is used as the refrigerant in ice plants as it takes a lot of energy from the surroundings to vaporize.
Exposure to high concentrations of ammonia in air causes immediate burning of the eyes, nose, throat and respiratory tract and can result in blindness, lung damage or even death in severe cases. Inhalation of lower concentrations can cause coughing, and nose and throat irritation. An official of local administration has said that gas leaked from an old cylinders kept in the godown of ice factory, which affected the residents of the area.
Nisar Ali Khan Group warden Publicity Civil Defence and Muhammad Nawaz, bomb disposal Commander district Attock has said that the bomb disposal squad visited the premises and found no sabotage or terrorist activities in the compound and the gas was leaked due to possible negligence of the employees or substandard gas cylinders.
When contacted, assistant commissioner Dr Sana Ramchand has said that soon after the incident, the local administration swing into action and make steps to control the situation. She said that the premises were sealed for illegal activity and reports were seek from the environmental department to take legal action against the owner of the manufacturing unit for negligence. She said that no manufacturing unit would be allowed to operate in the area to risk public lives and violators would be dealt with iron hands accordingly.