7 sent to hospital after chlorine leak at industrial facility off Tuas
SINGAPORE: Seven people were taken to hospital after a chlorine gas leak at an industrial facility at Jalan Samulun on Sunday (Sep 4), the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said.
According to the SCDF, the leak was traced to a one-tonne cylinder of chlorine gas housed within an indoor storage facility.
Three fire engines, four Hazardous Materials (HazMat) appliances, three ambulances and two support vehicles were deployed to the location, which is off Tuas.
The source of the leak was plugged within twenty minutes by a SCDF HazMat specialist team. Another team, the SCDF added, “simultaneously performed vapour suppression operation using three water jets". This operation quickly diluted the release of low concentration of chlorine vapour from the leaked cylinder into the surroundings.
The seven who were taken to Ng Teng Fong Hospital included two SCDF officers. They were conscious but experienced eye irritation and had difficulty breathing, said the SCDF.
The SCDF added: “Latest readings from HazMat detectors confirmed no traces of chlorine vapour were present in the surrounding atmosphere.”
Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
- CNA/rw