Death Toll in Tamil Nadu Ammonia Gas Leak Climbs to 12 as Odisha Worker Dies During Treatment

Bhubaneswar: The number of Odia migrant workers who have lost their lives in the ammonia gas leak at a seafood processing factory in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur district has increased to 12 after an injured woman from Odisha succumbed during treatment on Friday.

The deceased, identified as Budhubari Naik from Angul district, had been in critical condition since the accident and was on ventilator support after inhaling toxic ammonia fumes at the factory.

Officials from the Odisha Labour Department said four other Odia workers who had sustained injuries have recovered and were discharged from the hospital. They are travelling back to Odisha by train along with 58 fellow migrant workers employed at the same seafood processing unit.

Authorities also confirmed that the bodies of the 11 Juang women from Keonjhar district, who had died earlier in the incident, have already been handed over to their families. Naik’s mortal remains will be transported to Odisha after the completion of postmortem formalities.

Labour Department officials said they are coordinating with the Tamil Nadu administration to ensure the smooth transportation of the body to her native place.

In the wake of the tragedy, the Odisha government has announced financial assistance of ₹10 lakh each for the families of all the deceased migrant workers.

The fatal gas leak at the seafood processing facility exposed several workers to poisonous ammonia fumes, leaving multiple people dead and several others hospitalised. A majority of the victims in the industrial accident were migrant workers from Odisha.