Chennai, Aug. 3 -- Eleven people were hospitalised following a fire and the resultant gas leak at a private tapioca processing unit at Attur in Salem district of Tamil Nadu last evening.
According to reports, an electrical leak was said to be the cause of the fire that broke out in in sacks kept at the facility, which affected the bags in which chlorine power used for cleaning tapioca tubers were kept, leading to the gas leak.
Acting on information, police and fire and rescue services department personnel rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control after a two-hour operation.
As the fire spread, it affected bags of chlorine powder used for cleaning tapioca tubers, which are processed into styarch and flour. Workers initially a...