LG blames vapour discharge at plant

Our initial probe suggests the cause is prima facie by leaking vapour from SM storage tank near GPPS factory.

NEW DELHI: LG Polymers India Ltd on Saturday blamed leaking vapour from a storage tank for the leakage of deadly styrene monomer gas at its Visakhapatnam plant that killed at least 11 people and forced the evacuation of thousands. Status quo at the plant was restored on Saturday morning, the company said in a statement.

The gas leakage from the plant was reported on Thursday morning after the company tried to restart operations following the partial easing of the coronavirus lockdown. “Our initial investigations suggest that the cause of the incident is prima facie by the leaking vapor from the Styrene Monomer ( SM) st orage t ank near t he GPPS (General Purpose Poly Styrene) factory on Thursday, May 7,” the statement said. The unit of South Korean chemical giant LG Chem said it is committed to working closely with the concerned authorities to investigate the cause of the incident, prevent recurrence in future

LG POLYMERS INDIA LTD

and secure the foundation for care and treatment. “While f ocusing on stabilizing t he plant, we assure you that we are doing our best to extend all the possible support to ensure people and their families who have been affected by this incident are taken care of.

The firm said a special task force has been set up to help victims and families to resolve any issues and provide every assistance to the bereaved families. “All families will be contacted s hortly. This t eam has t he responsibility to provide every support for the deceased, medical supplies and household goods, and emotional management for psychological stability to all injured and victims,” the statement said.