Two women died during treatment on Sunday (June 21, 2026) after being affected in a major ammonia gas leak at a private seafood processing unit in Manjangaranai near Periyapalayam, police said.
Earlier, the police said the death toll was seven, but a CMO release and Health Minister KG Arunraj later put it at two.
A total of 67 affected workers were rushed to local medical centres immediately, Thiruvallur District Collector S. Kavitha said.
According to her, 46 are being treated at Vels Hospital and 21 at Venkateshwara Hospital. Nine of the most critically ill patients have since been mobilised via ambulances to the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital in Chennai.
Two women were killed in an ammonia gas leak at St Peter’s Paul Seafoods Exports Private Limited at Kannigaipair near Periyapalayam.
Earlier, the police said the death toll was seven, but a CMO release and Health Minister KG Arunraj later put it at two.
- The Hindu Bureau, PTI
“Deeply pained to hear about the loss of lives due to a mishap in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a post on X.
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The Minister of Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology and Digital Services, R. Kumar, in the presence of the Tiruvallur District Monitoring Officer/Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Electronics Corporation, Mr. K.P. Karthikeyan, and the District Collector, Mrs. S. Kavita, met and consoled those who were admitted to a private hospital near Periyapalayam and a private hospital near Nallur Toll Plaza following the accident due to ammonia gas leakage in a private fish food export factory in Kannigaiper village, Uthukkottai taluk, Tiruvallur district today.
Along with them, the MLAs, Mr. S. Vijayakumar (Kummidipoondi), Mr. M. S. Ravi (Ponneri), Mr. Arun Kumar (Thiruvallur), Kanchipuram Police Station Deputy Chairman, Mr. G. Sasank Sai, I.C.P., District Superintendent of Police Mr. Sai Praneeth, I.C., District Health Officer (Thiruvallur) Ms. Priya Raj and various departmental officials were also present.
- Deepa H. Ramakrishnan
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Following the death of workers in a shrimp processing unit at Periyapalayam in Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has ordered the formation of a three-member enquiry committee to probe the incident.
The Director of Industrial Safety and Health, Member Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and Additional Director of Public Health will be part of the committee, and they will submit their interim report within 24 hours and final report in three days.
CM Vijay forms a three-member committee to investigate the ammonia gas leak in Periyapalayam following worker fatalities.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic ammonia gas leak incident at a shrimp processing factory in Kannigaipair Village , near Periyapalayam, Thiruvallur district, which has resulted in the loss of precious lives and caused injuries to several workers,” says Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar.
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Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay ordered ₹2 lakh each to be paid to the family of two deceased persons as solatium from Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund.
He also said the State government will take steps to send the mortal remains of the deceased persons to their home State.
At least seven people were killed, and several others were hospitalised after an ammonia gas leak at St Peter’s Paul Seafoods Exports Private Limited at Kannigaipair near Periyapalayam in Tiruvallur district
Two special teams of senior doctors from Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital have been rushed to Periyapalayam, while another team of doctors from Tiruvallur GH has also been deployed at the site, says School Education Minister Rajmohan.
- N. Sai Charan
Seven women died during treatment on Sunday after being affected in a major ammonia gas leak at a private seafood processing unit in Manjangaranai near Periyapalayam, police said.
A total of 67 affected workers were rushed to local medical centres immediately, Thiruvallur District Collector S Kavitha said.
According to her, 46 are being treated at Vels Hospital and 21 at Venkateshwara Hospital. Nine of the most critically ill patients have since been mobilised via ambulances to the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital in Chennai.
Chief Minister Vijay has given instructions to form an enquiry committee to probe the incident.
A three-member committee comprising the Director of Industrial Safety and Health, Member Secretary, Pollution Control Board and the Additional Director of Public Health has been formed to submit an interim report within 24 hours and a final report in 3 days.
The CM had instructed the IT Minister/Tiruvallur Monitoring Minister to rush to Tiruvallur along with the Monitoring Officer, Dr. K.P. Karthikeyan, IAS, to give the best possible care to the affected in coordination with the District Collector and the district administration.
Minister for Public Works Aadhav Arjuna and Minister for School Education Rajmohan to rush to Stanley Medical College Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital to oversee efforts with Deans.
A total of 67 affected workers were rushed to local medical centres immediately after a major ammonia gas leak at a private seafood processing unit in Manjangaranai near Periyapalayam, Tiruvallur District Collector (DC) S. Kavitha said on Sunday (June 21, 2026).
According to her, 46 are being treated at Vels Hospital and 21 at Venkateshwara Hospital. Nine of the most critically ill patients have since been mobilised via ambulances to the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital in Chennai.
Sixty-seven workers hospitalised after ammonia gas leak at Tamil Nadu seafood factory; no fatalities reported, investigations underway.
Published - June 21, 2026 04:41 pm IST
Source: The Hindu - India News
