A large number of people were affected after they were exposed to ammonia gas which had emanated from a cold storage factory in Bihar’s East Champaran district on Thursday evening.
Many people had complained of eye irritation and breathlessness among other complications.
However, medical experts and health professionals have advised caution to those exposed to the gas.
Officials said the incident took place at RB Cold Storage Pvt Ltd located in Bariyarpur locality where the gas leakage was reported after locals heard a loud noise.
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“Yes, people were panic stricken. We took preventive action. The situation was brought under control,” said Pintu Kumar, circle officer (CO), Motihari (Sadar), confirming the incident.
When contacted, Dr Pramod Tiwary, superintendent of government medical college and hospital (GMCH) on Friday advised the locals to be kept under active observation.
“The inhalation of ammonia gas can cause manifold medical problems. It may cause pneumonia if the gas reaches the lungs in abundance. It may lead to death in extreme cases,” said Dr Tiwary.
Video footage from Motihari on Thursday late evening showed the locals stepping outside their residences in and around the cold storage area.
“It was around 11:45pm when the gas started spreading in the surrounding areas due to which we started having difficulty in breathing and burning sensation in the eyes,” said Amrit Kumar, a local.
Police personnel and four fire brigades reached the location to ensure the safety of people.
