bdnews24.com (22 August, 2016)
: At least 35 people have fallen ill by inhaling gas leaking from a tank of a Diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser factory in Chittagong's Anwara, police say.
The gas has spread across to the other bank of the river Karnaphuli after the leak at the factory adjacent to Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Ltd (CUFL) factory on Monday night.
Mohammad Alamgir, OC of Patenga Police Station, confirmed that the gas was spreading from the DPA factory.
Locals at Patenga, EPZ, port and other nearby areas said they can smell the gas.
Rashed Reza Diken, a resident of CDA in Agrabad, said he could smell ammonia.
Port Colony resident Sumon Patwary said he smelt something acrid.
Agrabad Fiore Service official Jasim Uddin said fire-fighters were spraying water around the affected tank to stop the gas from spreading further.
He said one of the three tanks at the factory premises at Rangadia leaked.
Chittagong Medical College Hospital Police Camp official Pankaj Barhua said at least 35 were hospitalised.
An official of the DAP factory, requesting anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said the capacity of the leaked tank was 500 tonnes.
“People are working to plug the leakage,” he said.
Idris Ali, an associate professor at Government Hazi Mohammad Mohsin College's chemistry department, said exposure to ammonia could cause slackening, vomiting and breathing problems.
He recommended using protective masks.
