SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s LG Chem <051910.KS> said a gas leak at its plant in southern India had been brought under control, after an incident on Thursday that police estimate killed at least nine people and resulted in hundreds of casualties in nearby villages.
Emergency services have evacuated villages and cordoned off a 3-kilometre (nearly 2-mile) radius around the LG Polymers plant in the Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh state. [L4N2CP0R8]
“We are currently assessing the extent of the damage on residents in the town and are taking all necessary measures to protect residents and employees in collaboration with related organizations,” LG Chem, the owner of LG Polymers, said in a statement.
LG Chem said in a statement that the gas emitted in the leak can cause nausea and dizziness when inhaled. It said it was seeking to ensure casualties received treatment quickly.
It also said the affected factory was suspended because of lockdown measures caused by coronavirus outbreak at the time of the accident, and said it was investigating how the leak occurred.
Shares of LG Chem were down nearly 1% by 0533 GMT, while the broader market <.KS11> was up 0.03%.
(Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin and Jane Chung; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
