24 students experience dizziness, vomiting due to chemical odour pollution

Twenty-four students and two canteen workers at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sungai Tiram, Ulu Tiram in Johor Bahru experienced dizziness and vomiting due to chemical odour pollution in the school on Tuesday.

Head of Johor Jaya Fire and Rescue Station Mohd Faiz Ramli said two teachers at the school also experienced dizziness.

Upon receiving a distress call regarding the incident at 3.13pm on Tuesday, 17 members including from the Hazardous Materials Unit (Hazmat) rushed to the scene.

"When the Emergency Response Team arrived, it was found that there were several victims suffering from dizziness and vomiting. The response team tried to find the source of the odour which caused the pollution. All students and teachers were instructed to leave the school area immediately and seek treatment at a clinic nearby.

"The response team also conducted air readings at the location periodically with the Johor Environment Department (DOE). The main focus covered an area of 5km radius around the school as the source of the pollution has not yet been found," he said in a statement last night.

Faiz said one of the measures taken by the Hazmat team was to identify the source of the pollution and finalise the detection including using long-range detectors, gasmets and rads in several designated sectors.

"Around 6pm yesterday, the detection process was carried out in five sectors. Detection in sector five, which is in the area of a factory using gasmet GT5000, recorded an increase in the reading of methyl mercaptan by 50ppm (parts per million).

"After making an assessment at the location, there was an increase in the reading of methyl mercaptan, it was found that there was burning activity in the IBC tank containing solid (sludge) and liquid waste material and the disposal of solid (sludge) and liquid waste to the waterway in the nearby river," he added.

Following the discovery, the follow-up operation was handed over to the Johor DOE for further action, he said.

- Bernama

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