Bihar: Ammonia gas leak at Chhapra cold storage, situation under control
Chhapra, June 5
An incident of ammonia gas leak took place at a cold storage plant in the Hemnagar area of Chhapra on Friday, officials said.
Regional Fire Officer Suraj Kumar said the team reached the spot immediately after receiving information about the leak and brought the situation under control with minimal leakage.
He added that an engineer is expected to arrive shortly to completely stop the leak.
"We got the information of a gas leak. We reached here immediately, and on reaching the scene, we got to know that ammonia gas had leaked from a cold storage. The situation is now under control with minimal leakage. The engineer will be reaching soon who will help stop the leak completely," Regional Fire Officer told ANI.
An investigation has been launched into the licensing of the Hemnagar cold storage facility after local authorities shut down its pipelines following the gas leak and cited a critical lack of safety measures.
Saran SDM Nitesh Kumar says, "We received information of ammonia gas leak at a cold storage plant... We have come here for inspection. The main supply pipelines have been closed... Efforts were made to mitigate the situation by spraying water to help settle and filter out the ammonia from the atmosphere. The plant lacked adequate safety measures, so we will be investigating the grounds on which it was provided a license by the Agriculture Department..."
Further details are awaited.
Meanwhile, earlier, on Thursday, five people died in the fire that broke out at a private hospital in Bihar's Muzaffarpur, while 18 patients remain hospitalised, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Tushar Kumar said.
Speaking to reporters, Kumar said the situation was now under control and that authorities were closely monitoring the condition of the injured. The SDM also noted that the compensation had already been provided to 33 affected families, while assistance to the remaining beneficiaries would be disbursed soon.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Aiyo, ammonia gas is very dangerous! In Chhapra, many people work in cold storages, and such leaks can be fatal. The fire officer and SDM acted fast, but we need better regulation. Our farmers' produce is stored here, and if safety is compromised, it's a risk to lives and livelihood. Let's hope the engineer fixes it permanently.
Good that they sprayed water to settle the ammonia - that's a known method. But I'm concerned about the hospital fire too. Five deaths? 😢 The compensation for 33 families is fine, but what about the others? The administration should have stricter checks on both hospitals and cold storages. Better late than never.
As someone from Bihar, I'm not surprised. These cold storage plants are often old and poorly maintained. The Agriculture Department must answer for granting licenses without proper inspection. The SDM's comments are spot on - we need accountability. Also, my condolences to those affected by the Muzaffarpur hospital fire. 🙏
Minimal leakage? That's a relief, but why did it happen in the first place? 😤 The lack of safety measures is criminal - especially when food is stored there. The engineer should have been on-site sooner. P.S. – the hospital fire in Muzaffarpur shows a pattern of negligence. We need a safety audit across all such facilities in Bihar.
In the West, we have strict OSHA regulations for ammonia leaks - immediate evacuation and mechanical ventilation. Glad the fire team responded quickly, but the licensing issue is worrying. It's good they're investigating, but I hope this
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