Ammonia gas leaks from cold storage in Odisha, creates panic

Sambalpur (Odisha): Leak of ammonia gas from a private cold storage triggered panic in Ainthapali area here with several people rushing to hospital complaining of breathing problem and burning feeling, police said on Sunday.

Ammonia leaked from the cold storage-cum-ice cream making unit at Panchgachhia last evening and a pungent odour could be smelt up to 2-3 km radius, police officials said.

While residents of several localities complained of burning sensation, breathlessness and uneasy feeling, around 15 people rushed to the hospital, he said adding three of them were still in hospital and their condition was stable.

Shops located near the cold storage unit downed their shutters, while people in localities like Budharaja, Jagannath Colony and Bhima Bhoi Nagar stated that they could feel the pungent odour for sometime, police said.

Efforts are on to ascertain the circumstances that led to the leak and investigation into the incident is in progress, police said.