SITIAWAN: Workers at a glove factory here had to be evacuated when a tank holding 400 litres of ammonia sprang a leak yesterday evening.
No casualties were reported in the 5pm incident at Batu 10, Lekir.
The leaky tank was one of 15 tanks that are within the factory compound.
The leak was first detected by nearby villagers when they caught a whiff of ammonia coming from the direction of the factory. They then alerted the Fire and Rescue Department.
Sitiawan Fire and Rescue Department chief Ashaari Mat Radzi said the distress call was received at 5.24pm.
The department subsequently alerted the Hazardous Material Team (Hazmat) at Pasir Puteh.
"We arrived 20 minutes later and managed to detect the leaked tank before proceeding to neutralise the gas," he said.
The situation was eventually brought under control and the operations were called off at 9.36pm.