SUNGAI PETANI: Twenty-two workers from a rubber glove production factory in Bakar Arang were rushed to the hospital today due to an ammonia gas leak, occurring less than 24 hours after a chemical spill incident.
Sungai Petani Fire and Rescue Station senior operations chief Johari Bar Azwar said that upon receiving the alert at around 10am, a team was dispatched to the factory.
"Upon arrival, the team found 22 workers experiencing breathing difficulties and vomiting due to ammonia solution leakage. They were immediately transported to Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in ambulances," he said in a statement.
A Hazardous Material (Hazmat) team was also deployed to identify the hazardous chemicals present. Johari confirmed that the team safely managed the chemical, conducting decontamination measures.
"The operation concluded by 5:21pm, and the area was declared safe," he added.
Meanwhile, the state Department of Environmental Department (DoE) director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab, said that the incident was caused by three 25-litre ammonia liquid containers stored openly within the factory compound.
"The Hazmat team relocated the containers into waste drums as a containment measure. The leakage was completely contained by 5:30pm, without impacting the factory surroundings or causing external pollution," she stated.
Sharifah Zakiah said that the factory has been instructed to dispose of the drums as scheduled waste.
"Moreover, the factory must conduct a comprehensive inspection of its entire premises, following previous reports of raw material and chemical spills several months ago," she added.
The previous day, a worker fainted and 21 others suffered from eye irritation and nausea due to a sodium hypochlorite spill incident at the same factory.