24 pupils, two teachers, and two canteen workers from SK Sungai Tiram primary school in Ulu Tiram, Johor, experienced nausea and discomfort due to exposure to toxic chemical fumes. Authorities believe that the noxious fumes originated from industrial waste pollution in a nearby river, which had been affecting the school compound for the past two days.
The alarm was raised when a foul chemical odour permeated the school premises, prompting a swift response from the Johor Jaya fire station and the hazardous materials (hazmat) team. At approximately 3.13pm last Tuesday, 17 personnel with two fire engines and the specialist hazmat team from Larkin fire station arrived at the school.
With immediate concern for the safety of the pupils, teachers, and staff, everyone present was instructed to evacuate the school compound. The hazmat team, in collaboration with the Johor Department of Environment (DoE), conducted aerial readings to ascertain the extent of the incident.
The hazmat team, equipped with gas analysers, first examined an illegal factory processing used palm oil and an orchid farm. Initial readings from these locations appeared normal. However, after further investigations, the team detected methyl mercaptan fumes, a flammable and colourless gas known for its unpleasant odour.
Methyl mercaptan is commonly used as a gas odourant, as well as in the production of pesticides, jet fuels, plastics, and the synthesis of the amino acid methionine. The hazardous nature of this gas posed a significant risk to the health of the students and school staff.
Further investigations led the hazmat team to discover that an intermediate bulk container (IBC) tank, containing waste materials in the form of sludge and liquid waste, was being burnt at another factory area. This resulted in the release of the toxic fumes into a nearby river, which eventually affected the school.
Mohd Salleh Mohamed, the Johor Jaya fire station operations commander, revealed that the findings of the investigation would be handed over to the Johor DoE for necessary action. The incident has sparked concerns over environmental pollution caused by industrial waste in the region, as similar incidents have occurred in the past.
Watch the video fo the incident below, or click here to watch it on Twitter:
Warga Sekolah Kebangsaan Ulu Tiram, Johor Bahru, Johor dilaporkan mengalami simpton pening dan muntah akibat pencemaran sisa kimia di kawasan tersebut.
— MYNEWSHUB (@mynewshub) August 3, 2023
**Video semalam pic.twitter.com/xfkg88bgDs
Just two months prior to this incident, on June 20, the Johor Fire and Rescue Department's Hazmat team responded to chemical contamination originating from industrial waste at Kawasan Perindustrian Maju Jaya in Kempas. The hazardous materials detected included acrolein, benzene, carbon dioxide, methane, and ethylene oxide.
Similarly, in September 2021, residents from Kampung Baru Sri Aman in Seelong near Kempas were evacuated after inhaling pungent chemical fumes from a nearby river. Investigation traced the fumes back to petrochemical waste that had been dumped upstream.
These recurring incidents highlight the urgent need for better waste management practices and stricter regulations to prevent further harm to the environment and the health of communities.
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