Vishakhapatnam: Nearly 2000 people were fell illness due to the leakage of chemical gas in a polymers company at Vishakhapatnam, in the early hours of Thursday. Two people and one child lost their lives in the incident.

AP CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy instructed the district collector and other authorities to take immediate steps to save the people.

After 40 days lockdown, the LG polymers company opened its operations on Thursday early hours at company premises at RR Venkatapuram in the area Gopala Patnam in Vishakhapatnam. According to the official sources, the chemical gas leaked in the company between 3:30 to 4:30am on Thursday. The company management immediately alerted the factory workers and the local people through the alarm with siren.

As per the company sources, chemical gas was leaked at the time of starting the company. A leaked huge gas was spread nearly 3kms range with the effect of four to five villages near to the RR Venkatapuram, where the LG polymers company was located.

When the people who are in the deep sleep, suddenly breathes the chemical gas fell ill and some are ran away to the Meghadri Gadda hills near their residences. Nearly 2000 people were fell ill due to the gas with the symptoms of rashes on the skin, burning sensation in the eyes, uneaseness in the stomach and unable to take breathe.

District collector Vinay Chand, Vishakhapatnam police commissioner RK Meena and local DSP immediately rushed to the spot at 04:00am, on knowing the information about the gas leakage. Police commissioner and DSP along with their forces rushed to the villages and alarming with the sirens to alert the people who are in the deep sleep. The police brought the people who are sleeping in the houses immediately and sent them to the hospitals in Vishakhapatnam.

The officials use a number of ambulances to carry out the villages who are effected to the leakage of gas and fell ill. According to the police commissioner, he saw nearly 2000 people who come out from the houses fell on the road due to the toxic gas. Some are went to the unconscious stage, and some are with the symptoms of vomiting etc. the gas leakage came 90% control at 06:00am and the remaining 10% will be control within 02 or 03 hrs said district collector Vinay Chand.

The local DSP also received illness, when he is in the rescue operation of the villagers. He also recovered within one hour and he is also continuing on the duty.

AP tourism minister Avanti Srinivas, VMDA chairman Dronamraju Srinivas, MLA Adeep Raja monitoring the situation along with the officers.