Vizag gas leak: All you need to know about LG Polymers plant

At least eleven persons have died and hundreds fell sick due to a massive gas leakage in LG Polymers plant at R R Venkatapuram on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam in the wee hours of Thursday. More than 800 people were evacuated from R R Venkatapuram following a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) styrene gas leak and most of them only needed first aid. Of this, at least 246 persons with health complications are undergoing treatment at the King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam and 20 of them are on ventilator support.

Also Read: Vizag gas leak: 8 dead, over 200 hospitalised after leakage at LG plant in Visakhapatnam

As per reports, gas started leaking in the early hours today when the workers were preparing for the reopening of the plant.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the situation is being monitored closely and he spoke to the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs and National Disaster Management Authority.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy held a high-level review meeting to take stock of the situation and ordered a probe into the matter, according to state DGP D Gautam Sawang.

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Here's all you need to know about LG Polymers plant where toxic gas leak incident happened:

• LG Polymers India Private Limited, owned by South Korean battery maker LG Chemical, was established in 1961 as "Hindustan Polymers" for manufacturing polystyrene and its co-polymers at Visakhapatnam, India.
• Located in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, LG Polymers is part of the plastic resin & synthetic fiber manufacturing industry. It manufactures polystyrene and high impact polystyrene, expandable polystyrene, and engineering plastics compounds.
• In 1978, the company was later merged with McDowell & Company Ltd. of Vittal Mallya-led United Breweries Group.
• In July, 1997, LG Chemical acquired 100 per cent stake in Hindustan Polymers and renamed it as LG Polymers India Private Limited (LGPI). LG Chemical considered India as an important market and in its aggressive global growth plan identified Hindustan Polymers as a suitable company for entering Indian market.
• LG Chemical has a very strong presence in Styrenics business in South Korea and have plans to establish an equally strong presence in Indian market by current product range of PS and EPS. LG Chemical is one of the leading manufacturers of polystyrene and expandable polystyrene in India.