From Neminda Samarajeewa
One hundred and twenty workers of a garment factory at Ekala, Jaela were hospitalised last Friday after inhaling a toxic chemical and the condition of 12 of the victims remained critical yesterday, hospital sources said.

A chemical to repel mosquitoes had been sprayed the previous day and when the workers reported for duty the next morning, they had felt dizzy and scores of them had collapsed, Jaela OIC A. D. M. Herath said.

The victims, mostly females, were removed to the Ragama and Gampaha hospitals. There were only 12 males among them.

Ragama hospital’s Administrative Officer, W. S. Serasinghe said of the 80 victims admitted last Friday only 19 remained warded yesterday.

At Gampaha 15 workers were still under treatment.

Police investigations are continuing.