Tiruvallur ammonia leak: 2-tonne gas removal underway, toll at 18
Synopsis
Eighteen people are dead and fourteen remain hospitalised after an ammonia leak at a Tiruvallur seafood factory on 21 June. Now, authorities are racing to extract nearly two tonnes of residual gas from the site — with the Army, fire services, and disaster teams deployed and residents evacuated within 500 metres. The operation lays bare deep questions about industrial safety oversight at Tamil Nadu's seafood processing units.
Key Takeaways
A gas removal operation is underway at the Punitha Peter Paul seafood processing unit in Kannigaipair village , Tiruvallur , Tamil Nadu.
Nearly two tonnes of ammonia are being transferred into specialised tanker trucks for safe disposal.
The death toll from the 21 June ammonia leak has risen to 18 , with the latest victim being Alati Maharana Juwang , 29, from Odisha.
Fourteen workers remain hospitalised and are under close medical observation.
Residents within a 500-metre radius have been evacuated; nearby industries temporarily shut and roads diverted.
Army personnel , Fire and Rescue Services, disaster response teams, and medical staff are deployed at the site.
A large-scale operation to safely extract nearly two tonnes of residual ammonia from the Punitha Peter Paul seafood processing and export unit in Kannigaipair village, Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, is currently underway, authorities confirmed on 4 July. The exercise follows a catastrophic ammonia leak on 21 June that has now claimed 18 lives, making it one of the deadliest industrial accidents in the state in recent years.
Scale of the Operation
Authorities have evacuated residents within a 500-metre radius of the factory as a precautionary measure. Army personnel, firefighters from the Fire and Rescue Services, disaster response teams, and medical staff have all been deployed at the site. The remaining ammonia is being transferred into specialised tanker trucks for safe disposal under strict safety protocols.
All industries located in the vicinity of the factory have been temporarily shut, and traffic has been diverted from surrounding roads to facilitate the operation and minimise public exposure to any potential risk.
District Collector's Appeal
Tiruvallur District Collector Kavitha appealed to residents not to panic, assuring them that every necessary safety measure had been put in place. She stated that the operation would continue until all ammonia had been removed and the factory premises were declared completely safe.
Death Toll Rises to 18
The death toll climbed to 18 after Alati Maharana Juwang, a 29-year-old woman worker from Odisha, succumbed to her injuries late on Friday. She had been receiving treatment at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai since the accident. Fourteen workers remain hospitalised across various medical facilities, with health authorities closely monitoring their condition.
The majority of those affected were women employed at the factory, underscoring the acute vulnerability of contract and migrant labour in Tamil Nadu's seafood processing sector.
Background and Industrial Safety Concerns
The ammonia leak on 21 June exposed scores of workers to the toxic gas at the seafood processing and export facility. Officials said the ongoing gas removal exercise is intended to eliminate residual danger before further investigations and restoration work begin. Army personnel and technical experts are overseeing the transfer of ammonia into secure tanker trucks.
The incident has renewed urgent concerns over industrial safety standards and emergency preparedness at seafood processing units across Tamil Nadu. Authorities have not yet publicly detailed what triggered the initial leak or whether safety inspections were conducted at the unit prior to the accident.
Once the removal operation concludes and the premises are certified safe, investigators are expected to examine the cause of the leak and assess regulatory compliance at the facility.
Point of View
Not an isolated mishap. Tamil Nadu's seafood processing sector relies heavily on migrant and contract women workers — a workforce with limited bargaining power over safety conditions. The fact that two tonnes of ammonia remained on-site weeks after the initial leak raises serious questions about regulatory oversight and post-incident protocol. If inspections had been conducted and safety certificates renewed, the state government must explain how this facility cleared them. Without a credible accountability mechanism — including criminal liability for negligent operators — the next deadly leak is a matter of when, not if.
NationPress
4 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the Tiruvallur ammonia leak?
The ammonia leak occurred on 21 June at the Punitha Peter Paul seafood processing and export unit in Kannigaipair village, Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu. The precise trigger has not yet been officially disclosed; investigators are expected to examine the cause once the ongoing gas removal operation is complete.
How many people have died in the Tiruvallur ammonia leak?
The death toll has risen to 18 as of 4 July 2024, following the death of Alati Maharana Juwang, a 29-year-old worker from Odisha, who succumbed to her injuries at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai. Fourteen workers remain hospitalised.
What is the current gas removal operation in Tiruvallur?
Authorities are conducting a large-scale operation to safely extract nearly two tonnes of residual ammonia from the factory premises. Army personnel, firefighters, disaster response teams, and medical staff are overseeing the transfer of ammonia into specialised tanker trucks for safe disposal under strict protocols.
Who is affected by the evacuation in Tiruvallur?
Residents within a 500-metre radius of the Punitha Peter Paul seafood unit have been evacuated as a precaution. Nearby industries have been temporarily shut and surrounding roads diverted to minimise public exposure during the operation.
What happens after the ammonia removal is complete?
Once all ammonia has been removed and the factory premises are declared completely safe, officials are expected to begin formal investigations into the cause of the original leak and assess regulatory and safety compliance at the facility.
