1 dead, scores hospitalized from ammonia leak in Navotas

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 7:29 p.m.) — A confirmed ammonia leak in an ice plant in Navotas City has left one dead and dozens hospitalized so far, Mayor Toby Tiangco said Wednesday after residents in the area were told to evacuate.

The local chief executive in a Twitter post told the publuc to avoid North Boulevard and R-10 in the city due to the incident which was reported from the T.P. Marcelo Ice Plant and Cold Storage.

Please avoid North Blvd and R-10, may ammonia leak from T.P. Marcelo Ice Plant and Cold Storage. Nanduon na po BFP and mga ambulance natin. sa mga residente pls evacuate

— Toby Tiangco (@TobyTiangco) February 3, 2021

Tiangco told DZBB that a single casualty and 59 others brought to the hospital were reported from the leak in the facility which turned out to be owned by his parents that has since been ordered closed.

He said the person who had died from the incident was an employee of the ice plant, while of those hospitalized, six were minors and 11 were adults who are currently at the Tondo General Hospital.

A Facebook Live video by a resident there showed dozens of residents covering their mouths and noses, slowly leaving the area.

Per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ammonia can cause irritation of the skin, eyes, respiratory tract, mouth and digestive tract.

Exposure to higher concentrations of the said chemical could also lead to more harmful effects, such as burns to the skin, throat or lungs, which can be serious enough to cause permanent blindness, lung disease or death.

Photos surfacing on social media moments since the incident showed a long line of residents moving to evacuate from the site of the leak.

Tiangco has since said that the owners of the ice plant would shoulder the cost of medical expenses of those affected.

Citing reports from those on the ground, the mayor said the Bureau of Fire Protection had shut off the safety valve and as well.

"As of 6:55 p.m. ito 'yung report sa akin: Mayor napasok na po lahat ng lugar sa community. Kaunti na lang ang amoy. Hintay lang mawala," Tiangco said. — Christian Deiparine and Xave Gregorio