Shanghai liquid ammonia leakage

SHANGHAI LIQUID AMMONIA LEAKAGE

VOSOT

At least 15 people have been confirmed dead and more than 20 others injured, after a liquid ammonia leak at a refrigeration unit in Shanghai on Saturday.

According to local authorities, the leakage took place at around 10:50 a.m. in a factory at Shanghai Weng's Cold Storage Industrial Co., Ltd. in Baoshan District.

A firefighter told CNC that there were no open flames after the leak.

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) FIREFIGHTER

"When we entered there, there was no open fire. Then we tried to evacuate all the people there, shut off all valves, and cool down and dilute the leaked pipe."

As of Saturday evening, 15 people have been confirmed dead and more than 20 were injured... among them, five are in critical conditions.

Gu Qiyu is one of the survivors.

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) SURVIVOR:

"G:I was in a dormitory area on the fourth floor when I smelled a strong odor.

R: Did you pass out?

G: I couldn't speak at that time. My chest felt rather tight and I couldn't help to roll over on the ground. "

Local residents have reported pungent odor was smelled after the leak.

But local environmental authorities said, initial test results show the odor were unrelated to the leak, and no pollution was detected.

Liquid ammonia is a colorless liquid frequently used in industrial sterilization and refrigeration processes.

The corrosive and volatile chemical may cause suffocation after heavy inhalation.

Further investigation is still underway.