News
Rubber factory owner flees after five deaths due to ammonia
View(s):The owner of a latex factory in Bellapitiya in Horana has become a fugitive following the deaths on Thursday of five people from inhalation of the corrosive, colourless, deadly gas ammonia.
The site of the tragedy at the rubber processing factory. Pix by Bimal Jayasinghe
Ratansiri Edirisinghe, the manger of the latex factory, which is suspected to have breached environmental regulations, has been arrested and remanded until April 25.
Rubber processing factories at which ammonia is used in the production process, are among the biggest polluters in Sri Lanka, studies have shown.
The factories division and the occupational hygiene division of the Department of Labour are responsible for implementing Occupational Safety and Health Programmes in the country.
Ammonia, which is made up of one atom of nitrogen (N) and three atoms of hydrogen (H3) is corrosive and can cause fatal poisoning depending on dosage and exposure. The gas can burn eyes, nose, throat and the respiratory tract and can cause blindness, lung damage or death, US agencies that advise the public on harmful chemicals, warn.
The Horana factory owner had been ordered to report to police on Friday, to record a statement, but he has fled.
On Thursday, at about 1.20 p.m., a few hours after the latex factory had reopened following the Avrudu celebrations, a worker had been cleaning an ammonia tank when he fell in after apparently being overcome by the toxic gas. Following appeals for help, three men who responded had also fallen into the tank, witnesses say.
The latex factory worker, W Ariyapala, 40, died at the site.
A fellow worker and three villagers who tried to rescue him also perished. They have been identified as Waruna Chandrasekara, 33, who worked in the same factory, and villagers Dilip Lokupathirage, 31, Priyantha Kumara, 43, and Lal Pushpakumara, 28.
Waruna Chandrasekara
Priyantha Kumara
Lal Pushpakumara
Dilip Lokupathirage
More than 30 others were admitted to the Horana hospital after being overcome by toxic fumes.
Police informed the Acting Horana Magistrate that they intend to charge the factory manager, Mr Edirisinghe, under sections 298 and 277 of the Penal Code for causing death by negligence.
Anton Marcus, Joint Secretary of the Free Trade Zones & General Services Employees Union, claimed he received information that the factory management was trying to pin the blame on the workers for not adhering to safety instructions.
“This is not the case, though. The management is responsible for the tragedy,” Mr Marcus told the Sunday Times.
He insisted that what mattered was not whether the workers wore safety gear. Instead, the latex factory management is responsible for a safe workplace.
On Friday, the Central Environmental Authority, ordered the suspension of all operations at the factory.
Western Province Chief Minister Isura Devapriya, who visited the site, urged the CEA to close down the factory permanently. He said the factory had not obtained an Environment Protection Licence from the local Pradeshiya Sabha and that area residents had repeatedly informed the authorities over environmental pollution.
It is understood that the Department of Labour had warned the factory management on several occasions. It is alleged that these warnings had been ignored.
A Wimalaweera, Commissioner General of Labour, had said legal action will be taken.