Ammonia gas leaked from an underwater supply pipeline to an industrial unit, near Periyakuppam in Ennore, leading to hundreds of residents rushing out on to the roads complaining of difficulties in breathing, and burning of eyes and faces, late on Tuesday, December 26, 2023 night.
Several residents were hospitalised. Teams from the police and fire services rushed to the spot to evacuate people willing to move out.
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Residents of Chinnakuppam, Eranavur and Nettukuppam too, complained of uneasiness.
Mr. Selvam, a resident of Chennai’s Periyakuppam, said that at around 10.30 p.m. people returning home from nearby industrial units could not pass via the beach road where the pipeline carrying the gas is located.
52 people hospitalised
A total of 52 people were admitted to hospitals following the ammonia gas leak.
Earlier, Joint Commissioner of Police, Avadi, Vijayakumar, said that 12 persons were hospitalised at Government Stanley Hospital and another two at a private hospital last night.
“Around 3,000-4,000 people were on the roads in the area last night. We reassured them and told them it was ammonia and the leak was contained after which the panic-like situation was defused,” Mr. Vijayakumar said.
Coromandel International Limited, a fertiliser manufacturing facility in Ennore, receives and unloads ammonia of 3,000 to 8,000 tonnes once a month from Iran or Saudi Arabia. Ammonia is received in liquid form at -33°C and stored in a storage tank in the same condition. It is transferred from the Ennore port through an eight-inch flexible High Density Polyethylene pipeline of a length of 2.5 km laid underneath the sea bed.
The pipelines are generally maintained at 2 kg/cm2 vapour pressure when no transfer of ammonia takes place. Around 36 hours prior to the transfer of ammonia from the ships, a pre-cooling process of the pipeline is carried out to pump ammonia in its liquid condition.
How the gas leak happened
“Many of us experienced severe burning in the face and nose and were unable to breathe. I couldn’t stand, even with five masks. We moved to sleeping in temples and even the roads since we could not sleep inside our houses. Fish have died in the water and are floating near the leak spot in the water,” said Mr. Selvam.
D. Joseph of Nettukuppam said that many families from their village too moved out last night. People felt suffocated and could not breathe. “None of us slept last night due to the fear and anxiety. Those who moved to temples and open spaces found it difficult, due to lack of water,” he said.
T.N. government orders temporary shutdown of plant
Tamil Nadu government has ordered to temporarily shut down Coromandel International Limited in Ennore after a gas leak from the fertiliser manufacturing facility, officials said. Tamil Nadu Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Siva V. Meyyanathan said the State government has ordered for temporary shutdown of the facility till further orders.
According to a statement issued by Coromandel International Limited, due to the abnormalities noticed in the delivery pipeline of liquid ammonia, the next shipment unloading at their multi-buoy mooring system in terminal is cancelled. “It will be brought into operation after rectification of abnormalities to the satisfaction and certification of concerned authorities. Till such time, Ennore minor port operation shall be temporarily suspended.”
Fishing community demands action
Fishing community leaders who rushed to the spot said that the government must announce Ennore as an area affected by industrial accidents. They wanted action to be initiated against companies responsible for polluting their areas and urged compensation for those affected by the leak.
A report on the leak issued by Environment Secretary Supriya Sahu said that a message was received from the unit at 12.45 a.m. regarding the ammonia gas leakage that took place during the pre-cooling operation of the pipeline.
Immediately officials reached the site by 2.15 a.m. and inspected the unit and the pipeline locations. The Joint Director, Director of Industrial safety was also present at the site. During the inspection the following observations were made: The unit observed a pressure drop in the pipeline at around 11.45 p.m. and simultaneously observed a pungent odour around the storage terminal and near the material gate.
The unit also immediately visited the pipeline location across the road and observed gas bubbles coming out of the pipeline at about 2 feet from the shore. The unit immediately started depressurising the pipeline by diverting the ammonia vapour to the flare and completed the operation within 20 minutes. The wind direction during the incident was observed to be west south west.
Governor Ravi expresses concern
Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi expressed grave concern over the gas leak in North Chennai and wished all those affected a speedy recovery.
In a social media post, the Raj Bhavan said: “Governor Ravi expressed grave concern over the unfortunate #GasLeakage incident from a factory at Ennore in north Chennai and wished for the speedy recovery of the victims of the accident.”
Coromandel International suspends Ennore port operations
Meanwhile, Coromandel International Limited said it has suspended its Ennore port operations as it noticed an abnormality at 11.30 p.m. on December 26 in the ammonia unloading subsea pipeline near the shoreside.
In a letter to the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board, the unit said: “..due to the abnormalities noticed in the delivery pipeline of liquid ammonia on 26.12.2023, the next shipment (unloading) at our multi buoy mooring system terminal is cancelled.”
“It will be brought into operation after rectification of abnormalities to the satisfaction and certification of concerned authorities,” it said.
