Gas leaks in Unocal gas terminal, 38 people hospitalized

At least 38 people living in Giri Mukti village of the Penajam district in East Kalimantan were hospitalized on Monday evening when a gas leaked from Unocal?s Lawe Lawe gas terminal in the area, Kaltim Post reported on Wednesday.

Tens of the villagers, who got angry due the slow response made the Unocal management in helping the victims, tried to enter the terminal but they could be prevented by security officials. The angry villagers accused the Unocal workers in the terminal of being too slow to handle the people affected by the gas leakage.

"We regret the late reaction made by the Unocal management. They have to be responsible," one of the angry villagers said, adding that many villagers were given dirt mask and instead of gas mask.

The daily reported that among the hospitalized villagers included a pregnant women, a four-month baby and three-year child.

Anang Winardi, the Unocal superintendent in the Lawe Lawe gas terminal met the villagers later on Tuesday to further study the impact of the suspected gas leakage. He denied that the Unocal management had been reacting too slowly. "We were slow in responding the incident because the villagers did not immediately report the incident," he said.

In the meeting, the Unocal management, villagers and the local government officials agreed to form a team to study the impact of the gas leakage. (*)