Jalpaiguri: One dead, three fall ill after ammonia gas leaks from cold storage

As panic struck the area, the district administration, police and the NDRF evacuated people from the locality. 

Dibyendu Sinha, MP, 9 Mar 2024, Jalpaiguri: A person died and three others, including a fireman, fell ill in an incident of an ammonia leak from a cold storage facility in the Jalpaiguri district on Saturday morning. 

As panic struck the area, the district administration, police and the NDRF evacuated people from the locality. At around 1 pm, the situation was brought under control with the pipeline being repaired. 

This is the second such incident reported from this cold storage. The incident occurred in Tapramani in Jalpaiguri Sadar Block on Saturday morning. The deceased has been identified as Qutubuddin Sheikh (45 years) of South 24-Parganas. With news of the ammonia leak, a large police contingent, firemen and the NDRF arrived. 

Apart from ordering the residents to evacuate from the locality, the administration went from house to house, looking for persons who had fallen ill. About 12 days ago, 4 workers had arrived from South 24-Parganas to work in the cold storage. 

One of the workers, Insan Sheikh said: “In the morning, we were working and Qutubuddin stepped on the pipe by mistake and the pipe came off and ammonia started to flow out.” He said that even if the workers managed to come out, the pressure of the gas was so high that he had fainted. Miraz Sheikh, Muskan Sheikh fell ill in this incident. 

While rescuing them, fireman Jaydev Mahato also fell ill. Currently, they are undergoing treatment at Jalpaiguri Super Specialty Hospital. Kalyan Khan, MSVP of Jalpaiguri Government Medical College Hospital, said that Qutubuddin Sheikh was brought dead. 

Meanwhile, panic spread as the pungent smell of ammonia engulfed the area. Malti Roy, a local resident, said: “Earlier also there was an incident of ammonia leak from this cold storage. We live in constant fear.” 

Questions have been raised on the safety system of the cold storage and whether there is any technician there. Deputy Commandant of Second Battalion NDRF Vivek Kumar said: “The pipe from where the gas was leaking has been plugged. However, the police and administration have been told to temporarily move people away from those places where the gas can be smelled.” 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/jalpaiguri-one-dead-three-fall-ill-after-ammonia-gas-leaks-from-cold-storage-555275