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73-year-old dies in Visakhapatnam, kin blame styrene leak

VISAKHAPATNAM: The death toll in the LG Polymers styrene leak case rose to 13 after a 73-year-old woman, who was being treated at KGH after inhaling the poisonous vapour on the morning of May 7, died late on Tuesday evening. The KGH, however, is yet to officially confirm if her death is linked to the styrene leak.


Though Pala Venkayyamma of Venkatapuram area had been discharged, she was readmitted to KGH on May 19 after complaining of uneasiness. On May 26, her condition deteriorated and she died late in the evening.

Dr G Arjuna, superintendent of KGH, said the woman was admitted to KGH on May 8 (one day after the gas leak) and was discharged on May 13. She was also given a compensation of 1 lakh from the government. Venkayamma was readmitted to KGH on May 19 in a critical condition.

"She was on ventilator support and breathed her last late on Tuesday evening. It is too early to say if she died due to styrene. We have sent the body for autopsy to ascertain the exact reasons behind the death," Dr Arjuna said.

However, family members of the woman said she died due to styrene inhalation. "I strongly believe my grandmother died after inhaling styrene. She was discharged forcibly from KGH on May 13, but she continued to vomit and complained of indigestion and other symptoms," Venkayyamma's grandson MV Nageswara Rao said.

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