VADODARA, Aug 18: A team of factory inspectors on Tuesday conducted an on-the-spot inspection of the Shankar Ice Factory, after 15 people fell ill following ammonia gas leakage from the factory on Monday, while Deputy Municipal Commissioner of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation H S Patel announced cancellation of the licence of the factory in General Board meeting.Senior Factory Inspector B P Parmar told Express Newsline that annual routine inspection of the factory had been conducted in May 1998, but no safety flaw had been found at that time. ``Monday's blast appears to be a case of accident,'' he stated.
Though such an accident had taken place in the factory 10 years ago and a similar accident had occurred in Gayatri Ice Factory in Karelibaug two years back, no loss of life was reported, he added.
Meanwhile, the operation to neutralise remaining traces of ammonia in the chilling plant's pipeline of the Shankar Ice Factory continued till Tuesday night to prevent any more leakage, said Chief Fire Officer Mahendra Desai.
Seven seriously injured persons in yesterday's blast are still undergoing treatment in SSG Hospital, while the rest were discharged.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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