11 taken ill after cylinder bursts in Kolkata ice-making factory

KOLKATA - Eleven workers fell ill after inhaling toxic ammonia gas that leaked following a cylinder burst in an ice-making factory at Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal Friday, police said.

“The incident happened this evening (Friday) when the victims were working in the factory. The cylinder burst suddenly and 11 workers were taken ill due to the poisonous gas,” district police superintendent Rahul Srivastav said.

All the victims were admitted to the Barrackpore sub-divisional hospital.

A police source said though emergency rescue teams had reached the spot, they were waiting for gas masks.

“So, we cannot say for certain whether more people are trapped inside,” the source said.