ABSTRACT
Following a temporary and partial shutdown of the LG Polymers factory for nearly 44 days due to the COVID 19 lockdown, routine maintenance of the plant was affected. Compounded by a failure of the refrigeration system and the inhibitor tank attached to the styrene storage tank, auto polymerization reaction set in and half the 1800 tonnes styrene gas leaked into the atmosphere at around 3 am on 07th May 2020. Since the volatile organic compound detection system was defunct, no alert or alarm was raised and, driven by north easterly winds, a cloud of toxic styrene gas spread over a radius of nearly 3 km, affecting five villages in the vicinity.
The pungent smell was initially mistaken by the residents as emanating from a fire accident or a COVID sanitization measure in the vicinity. When many of the residents became symptomatic with nausea, dizziness, severe burning sensation in eyes and throat, suffocation and dizziness, panic ensued. There were 11 human and 22 animal fatalities in the immediate vicinity
Following initial triage, over 350 victims were hospitalized in various hospitals. 254 symptomatic adults and 64 children were shifted to the Government King George hospital. 165 others were admitted to 10 private and corporate hospitals. 25 victims were severely breathless and in a critical condition and 20 of them with pulmonary edema required endotracheal intubation and ventilatory support in the ICU. The main symptoms were burning sensation of eyes, skin and throat, nausea, vomiting, diplopia, muscle twitching, breathlessness and loss of consciousness. Nearly 10,000 residents from five villages were evacuated to relief camps set up in the perimeter and given first aid and food.
This mishap resulted in extremely high levels of styrene monomer exposure and constitute the first fatalities reported worldwide from its inhalation. The lack of facilities to monitor atmospheric, blood and urine levels of styrene and its metabolites has precluded a better assessment of its toxic effects. The rapid evacuation of residents within a 5 km radius was responsible for a lower mortality rate. Morbidity was, however, high and long term effects of the exposure remains to be seen in follow up monitoring.
