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Civic groups call for LG Chem to take responsibility for a gas leak in India that led to 12 deaths and over 500 injuries. (Kim Hye-yun, staff photographer)

Indian authorities have concluded that a gas leak at an LG Polymers plant in May was the result of comprehensive problems at the company.

The Hindustan Times and other local media reported that an eight-member expert panel submitted a 4,000-page report of its investigation to the Indian government on July 6. Following a two-month investigation, the panel found that the accident was caused by flawed tank design, a faulty cooling system, and the lack of a circulation system. The accident was exacerbated by inappropriate safety management and risk response and employees’ inadequate knowledge, the panel said.

The styrene gas leak occurred at an LG Polymers factory (owned by LG Chem) in Visakhapatnam, in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, on May 7. The leak left 12 residents dead and more than 500 injured.

The panel concluded that the accident had occurred because styrene gas was not kept under control in the storage tank. The temperature in the tank rose sharply, causing the liquid styrene to evaporate and increasing pressure on the tank, the panel said. The Mumbai Mirror reported that the company had ignored signs of trouble in the styrene tank on Apr. 24, two weeks before the accident.

The panel found that the company didn’t have an appropriate system in place to avoid an accident and that its early warning system was out of order. At the time of the accident, the factory didn’t have any kind of suppression system that could have neutralized the leak or reduced its impact. As a consequence, the panel recommended that the state government files charges against company managers connected with the accident.

LG Chem said on Tuesday that it had cooperated fully with the investigation into the accident and promised to take the necessary measures corresponding to the outcome of the investigation.

By Choi Hyun-june and Lee Jae-yeon, staff reporters

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