70 children in Kollam in Kerala have been hospitalized allegedly as the result of a gas leak from a unit of the state-run Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML).
16 children are in the intensive care unit on complaints of nausea and breathing problems. They are all students from a government school in the neighbourhood.
A gas leak from the same factory had left over 40 people, including students, hospitalised on Wednesday.
Factor officials say their unit was closed today, so they are being incorrectly blamed.
District Collector Pranab Jyoti Nath told that it is too early to say exactly what happened. “The situation is being studied,” he said.
The leaked gas is believed to be Sulphur Dioxide. Similar leaks have been reported from the unit earlier in 2007 and 2011.
