NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, JUNE 21
A devastating ammonia gas leak at a seafood export processing facility near Periyapalayam in Tiruvallur district triggered panic, chaos and a massive rescue operation on Sunday, leaving at least seven workers dead and more than 40 others hospitalised in what is being described as one of Tamil Nadu’s most serious industrial disasters in recent times.
திருவள்ளூர் மாவட்டம், ஊத்துக்கோட்டை வட்டம், கன்னிகைபேர் கிராமத்தில் தனியார் மீன் உணவு ஏற்றுமதி தொழிற்சாலையில் அம்மோனியா வாயு கசிவினால் ஏற்பட்ட விபத்து – மாண்புமிகு தமிழ்நாடு முதலமைச்சர் திரு.ச.ஜோசப் விஜய் அவர்கள் ஆறுதல் மற்றும் நிதியுதவி அறிவிப்பு pic.twitter.com/ogUDVLs97e
— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) June 21, 2026
- At least seven workers feared dead and over 40 hospitalised in one of Tamil Nadu’s worst industrial gas leak tragedies in recent years
- Migrant workers from Assam, Odisha and Jharkhand among victims exposed to toxic ammonia fumes
- Three-member panel tasked with investigating safety lapses, plant operations and regulatory compliance within 24 hours
The tragedy unfolded at a private seafood processing and export unit in Kannigaipair near Periyapalayam, where nearly 120 workers—including a large number of migrant labourers and women from Assam, Odisha and Jharkhand—were reportedly present when toxic ammonia gas is suspected to have leaked from the facility’s refrigeration or processing system.
According to officials, workers suddenly began experiencing severe breathing difficulties, dizziness, vomiting and intense irritation after inhaling the toxic fumes. As panic spread through the premises, several workers rushed out in search of safety while others collapsed inside the factory. Some victims reportedly suffered bleeding from the mouth and nose, indicating severe exposure to the hazardous gas.
Emergency response teams, police personnel, ambulances and local authorities rushed to the site and launched an extensive rescue and evacuation operation. The injured were initially shifted to nearby hospitals before several critically affected workers were referred to the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital in Chennai for specialised treatment. Health officials said a number of patients remain in critical condition and are receiving intensive medical care.
Expressing deep concern over the tragedy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay directed officials to ensure the best possible medical treatment for all affected workers and ordered an immediate high-level inquiry into the incident.
The Chief Minister constituted a three-member committee comprising the Director of Industrial Safety and Health, the Member Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and the Additional Director of Public Health to investigate the circumstances leading to the leak. The panel has been instructed to conduct an immediate inspection and submit an interim report within 24 hours and a detailed report within three days.
Officials said the investigation will focus on industrial safety systems, maintenance protocols, emergency preparedness measures and possible violations of statutory regulations. Police have registered a case and initiated parallel investigations to determine whether negligence or safety failures contributed to the disaster.
The incident has once again raised serious concerns about industrial safety standards in hazardous processing units, particularly those handling refrigeration-grade ammonia. Safety experts note that ammonia, while widely used in industrial cooling systems, can cause severe respiratory distress and life-threatening complications when released in enclosed environments.
As anxious family members gathered outside hospitals and rescue personnel continued monitoring the situation, the tragedy served as a grim reminder of the human cost of industrial accidents and the urgent need for strict enforcement of workplace safety norms.
