LG Polymers India expresses condolences over deadly gas leak

An ambulance passes by the building of LG Polymers India, an affiliate of Korean chemical giant LG Chem, in Visakhapatnam, India, May 7 (local time). Yonhap

LG Polymers India, an affiliate of South Korean chemical giant LG Chem Ltd., expressed condolences Saturday over a gas leak that killed 12 people and vowed to provide an effective care package for the victims.

LG Polymers India said it has created a special taskforce to help victims and families resolve any issues and provide assistance to the bereaved.

"LG Polymers India would like to express our deepest condolences to everyone who has been affected and hurt by this incident,” the company said in a statement.

The company also said its team is working day and night with the government to assess the impact of the damage and create concrete measures to deliver effective care packages that can be implemented immediately.

The accident took place Thursday ahead of the resumption of the plant after a lockdown imposed over the coronavirus pandemic.

The company said it was committed to working closely with the authorities in India to investigate the cause of the accident and prevent any recurrence.

It added, "Our initial investigations suggest that the cause of the incident was prima facie by the leaking vapor from the styrene monomer storage tank" at the plant in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

The LG Polymers plant, which LG Chem acquired from Hindustan Polymers in 1996, produces a wide range of polystyrene, including engineering plastic, an industrial raw material for automobiles and electronic parts. (Yonhap)