Visakhapatnam gas leak accident: A preliminary modelling study
At least 13 people have been killed and nearly 1000 others hospitalised following a massive leak of styrene gas from the LG Polymers plant in the city of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. Here is a preliminary modelling study of one of the worst industrial accidents in recent times by Sagar Dhara and K Babu Rao.
Preliminary modelling of the vapour release from LG Polymers, Visakhapatnam on 7 May 2020
Sagar Dhara and K Babu Rao
11 May 2020
INTRODUCTION
The LG Polymers plant is located in Venkatapuram, a suburb of Visakhapatnam city. The plant stores and uses styrene monomer for making plastic products. A toxic vapour was released from the plant at about 2.30 am on 7 May 2020, and vapour emission continued for many hours. The precise sequence of the accident and the exact constituents of the release, such as presence of other gaseous compounds if any, is unknown at this point of time. Over 1,000 persons were hospitalized on 7 May morning due to toxic vapour inhalation and about 400 are still under treatment. Eleven persons died on 7 May and one more person died subsequently.
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Styrene release modelling report 2 with tank dim (1)