Chlorine gas leak at scrap yard causes 3 people to be seriously poisoned

Informing the press, Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, Director of the Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital, said that at around 12:00 on January 12, the center received 3 gas poisoning patients transferred from lower levels.

The patients were identified as Mr. Nguyen Van Mung (63 years old, residing in Khoai Chau, Hung Yen ), Ms. Nguyen Thi Thoa (54 years old), and Mr. Seo Van Khut (34 years old, from Ky Son, Nghe An).

The patients were hospitalized with respiratory injuries, chest pain, difficulty breathing, and respiratory failure. Mr. Mung and Mrs. Thoa were the two most serious cases.

According to information and images provided by the family, Dr. Nguyen suspected poisoning from a compound containing chlorine gas.

Chlorine gas poisoning patient must be on a ventilator. Photo: BVCC

Dr. Nguyen said that Mr. Mung had stopped breathing and had to be given artificial respiration. His airways were narrowed, swollen, and constricted. If the patient had arrived at the hospital late, he would have died. Currently, the doctor has intubated the patient and given him muscle relaxants and sedatives. The patient is responding to treatment, but in the long term, he may suffer lung damage.

The second severe case was Mrs. Thoa, who was admitted to the hospital in respiratory failure, with a poor prognosis, but fortunately responded well and did not require a ventilator, only oxygen.

As for Mr. Seo Van Khut, after emergency treatment, he was completely conscious and able to talk. This was the mildest case among the three people hospitalized due to chlorine gas poisoning.

According to Mr. Khut, he has been working at a scrap yard in Dan Tien commune, Khoai Chau, Hung Yen for the past year. Their job is to sort and collect scrap.

On the morning of January 12, while working, a person used a blowtorch to blow up an unknown gas cylinder. The cylinder was made of iron, as big as a gas cylinder, and had a steel wire wrapped around it. Then, white smoke billowed up, the column of smoke reaching 5 meters high.

There were 9 people in total who were gassing the cylinder. Those who were standing further away did not pay attention at first, but then ran away after having difficulty breathing. However, there were 2 most serious victims, including Mr. Nguyen Van Mung, who was not wearing a mask and was standing further away, but due to inhaling too much toxic gas, he fainted on the spot.

Immediately afterwards, Mr. Khut, Mr. Mung and Mrs. Thoa were quickly taken to Bach Mai Hospital for emergency treatment, while the remaining 6 people were monitored locally.

Dr. Nguyen said that chlorine gas poisoning is very dangerous, causing irritation to the respiratory tract, nose, throat, lungs, eyes, causing burns and deep damage. Gas cylinders of unknown origin can contain dangerous chemicals, even radiation, bombs and mines. People arbitrarily blowing gas cylinders or doing any action to squeeze out scrap can cause gas poisoning.

Nguyen Linh

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/ro-ri-khi-clo-tai-bai-phe-lieu-khien-3-nguoi-bi-ngo-doc-nang-post280805.html