ガス漏れ起きたＬＧ化学工場、群衆が犠牲者の遺体担ぎ閉鎖要求　インド

【ビシャカパトナムＡＦＰ＝時事】インドの化学工場から有毒ガスが漏れ、12人が死亡した事故を受け、工場の閉鎖を求める人々が9日、犠牲者の遺体を担いで工場に詰め掛けた。（写真はインド・ビシャカパトナムの化学工場で、抗議を繰り広げる住民）
　漏れは７日未明、同国東岸の港湾都市ビシャカパトナム近郊にある韓国ＬＧ化学所有の工場で発生。 同日夜にはさらなるガス漏れの懸念があり、工場周辺の避難区域が拡大された。 現場周辺から逃れようとした数百人が負傷し、多数が意識を失った。死者のうち少なくとも３人が子どもで、数十人が今も入院している。
　州政府当局は９日、現場の視察のため同工場を訪問。これに合わせ、３００人ほどの群衆が警察や警備員を押しのけ、工場に詰め掛けた。
　犠牲者３人の遺体をのせた担架を運ぶのを手伝う人々の姿もあり、遺体を覆う黒い布の下からは、犠牲者らの足が突き出ていた。
　群衆は、犠牲者への正義と工場の閉鎖を求めるスローガンを叫んだが、その後警備員によって押し返された。遺族らもそばに立ち、多くの人の目には涙が浮かんでいた。
　当局は、ガス漏れをめぐり過失致死容疑で捜査を開始。また同国で環境関連事件を管轄する裁判所はすでに、同社に対する仮処分として罰金６２０万ドル（約６億６０００万円）の支払いを命じている。
　警察によると、同工場は新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大防止策としてインド全土で実施されていたロックダウン（都市封鎖）を受け放置状態にあった。放置されたタンク内のガスが過熱したのが、ガス漏れの原因だとの見方を示している。
　ＬＧ化学は、ロックダウンを受け工場の操業を停止していたことを認めているが、保守点検作業員は常駐していたと主張している。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/05/11-13:25）

Angry protesters carrying dead bodies stormed an Indian chemical plant on Saturday to demand the facility's closure after a toxic gas leak that killed 12 people days earlier.
Thursday's pre-dawn accident in the industrial port city of Visakhapatnam injured hundreds and knocked many unconscious as they tried to flee the area.
State government officials had arrived to conduct a safety tour of the plant, owned by South Korea's LG Chem, when a crowd of around 300 people barged past police and security guards.
Some helped cart stretchers bearing three victims of the disaster, their feet sticking out from under the black canvas covers that otherwise shrouded the bodies.
They chanted slogans demanding justice for the dead and the shutdown of the plant before they were pushed back by security.
Relatives of the dead stood nearby, many in tears, while others relieved the horror of the sudden accident.
I saw people carrying their children on their shoulders looking for water. They could not move because of the gas, I thought they were dead, said one man.
At least three children were among the dead and dozens remain in hospital.
Late Thursday, an evacuation zone around the plant was widened and hundreds more people were moved to safety after fears of a new leak. Some have since been allowed to return.
Andhra Pradesh state police chief Gautam Sawang said the situation at the facility was now under control.
Authorities have started a manslaughter investigation over the leak and India's environmental tribunal has already fined the company $6.2 million as a preliminary punishment.
Police said the plant had been left idle because of India's nationwide coronavirus lockdown and suspect the leak was caused by gas left in a tanker that overheated.
LG Chem confirmed that the polystyrene plant was not operating at the time of the accident, but insisted there were maintenance staff at the facility.
The disaster has evoked memories of a major leak at a gas plant in the Indian city of Bhopal that killed at least 3,500 people in 1984.