Visakhapatnam: Around 150 workers of an apparel manufacturing unit in the Brandix Special Economic Zone at Atchyutapuram near Visakhapatnam were hospitalised on Tuesday after they fell sick due to what was suspected to be a mysterious gas leak, the second such incident in two months.
The injured women workers, who were working at the plant, suddenly started feeling unconscious and had vomiting and itching symptoms. The situation is under control and the condition of patients is also stable.
The real cause of the sickness was not immediately established as medical examination was being conducted.
The Brandix SEZ employs thousands of workers, mostly women, in the garment manufacturing units.
It may be recalled that on June 3 too, a similar incident had occurred in the same place where more than 200 women workers fell unconscious. It was then suspected that ammonia gas leaked from a nearby Porus Laboratories unit caused the incident.
Soon after the incident, a team of experts from the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology in Hyderabad visited the lab and conducted tests to determine the cause of the leak.
Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board ordered closure of the lab. The Porus lab was shut down for a few days after the mishap, but soon resumed activities.
