The death toll in an ammonia gas leakage incident at a private seafood processing and export facility in Tiruvallur district has risen to five, while 67 people are currently undergoing treatment and remain under medical observation, according to the Tamil Nadu Health Minister’s Office.
Read more| Two people were killed in an ammonia leak at a shrimp factory in Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu, and its owners were arrested.
Two people were discharged from the hospital after receiving initial medical care.
The incident occurred on June 21, when it was reported that ammonia gas leaked into the industrial unit during routine operations, which led to the exposure of workers on site.
Following the incident, emergency response teams, including district administration officials, police personnel, fire and rescue services and public health authorities, were immediately deployed to manage the situation and provide medical assistance.
“A total of 74 people have been reported to have been affected by the incident. Of these, 67 people are currently receiving treatment and under medical observation. Two people have been discharged from hospital. Two deaths have been reported as of 8 pm on 21.06.2026. As of 7 am on 22.06.2026, three additional deaths have been reported, taking the total number of deaths to five,” the Tamil Nadu Health Minister’s office said.
Officials said infected individuals primarily exhibited symptoms consistent with ammonia inhalation, including shortness of breath, eye and respiratory irritation, cough, chest discomfort, and varying degrees of respiratory distress.
The exact cause of the leak is currently being investigated by the relevant authorities.
Meanwhile, the DMK and Communist Party MLAs have urged the Tamil Nadu Assembly speaker to take up the issue of ammonia gas leak in Tiruvallur in the current session of the state assembly, seeking a detailed discussion on the industrial safety gap.
Earlier on Sunday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay expressed shock and sadness over the tragedy and announced ex-gratia compensation. $2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s General Relief Fund for the families of the deceased.
The Chief Minister also ordered the formation of a three-member committee comprising officials from the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and Directorate of Public Health to investigate the incident. The committee was directed to submit a preliminary report within 24 hours and a final report within three days.
