TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A factory in Vietnam operated by the Taiwan company Vega Balls had a serious gas leak on Wednesday (Feb. 22), sending local workers to nearby hospitals.
The factory, which manufactures basketballs and other sports balls, is at the Dong Mai Industrial Park in Quang Ninh Province. At around 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, workers began to experience fatigue and nausea, with 57 workers being sent to hospitals for medical treatment, reported VN Express.
A government official confirmed that all employees are conscious and recovering after spending one night under observation. An investigation was launched to determine the cause of the incident.
On the factory floor, investigators discovered a faulty air compressor that had overheated causing oil in the machinery to reach excessively high temperatures. Factory workers were likely inhaling air that had escaped the compressor and mixed with toxic vapors from the oil.
The factory has temporarily ceased operations while equipment and safety protocol are reviewed, reported BNN.
Vega Balls is owned by the Taipei-based Yuan Chi Sports Enterprise Company. They established operations in Vietnam in 2016, and have not had any major workplace accidents reported in that time, accordin to reports.