ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – At least 99 residents here were rushed to different hospitals when gas leaked from an ice plant Wednesday night, authorities said.
About a thousand more were forced to flee Sitio Dumagsa in Ayala district as a result of the gas leak from the E&L ice plant owned by a certain Kimbok Tan.
The residents told police they heard a dull explosion from inside the ice processing plant and minutes later, an obno-xious gas, which turned out to be ammonia, leaked into the community.
One of the pipes channeling the ammonia to cool the giant refrigeration section, was reportedly accidentally hit by a huge metal ice molder and ruptured, causing the gas leak.