SINGAPORE: Eleven workers had to be taken to hospital after a chemical leak on Tuesday (Jul 18) at a factory building at 166 Kallang Way.
They were in a “conscious and stable condition” when they were taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
Channel NewsAsia understands that the workers complained of skin irritation, and that the chemical involved is nitrogen trifluoride, which is colourless, odourless and non-flammable.
SCDF said it was alerted to the incident at 1.40pm, and dispatched two fire engines, a fire bike, three support vehicles and two ambulances to the scene.
It added that the leak – which was contained within a sealed production room – had been shut off by the in-built safety system on the premises before the SCDF arrived.
SCDF later declared the surrounding environment safe, with no traces of the chemical in the air. Its hazardous materials detectors also showed no reading of the chemical vapour in the production room.
Channel NewsAsia understands that the leak likely happened on the third floor of the building.
166 Kallang Way is the location of a block of flatted factories leased by JTC.
Occupants of the building include electronic components manufacturer Epcos, telecommunications equipment company Qualcomm and Shell Solar.
The SCDF first posted about the incident on Facebook at about 2.10pm, when it said its resources are at the scene.
It added that StarHub mobile subscribers in the area would have received a message urging them to stay away from the area.
UNION TO FOLLOW UP WITH WORKERS: MELVIN YONG
In a Facebook post on Tuesday night, Member of Parliament Melvin Yong said that all 11 workers admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital “suffered only minor skin irritation and have been given the green light to be discharged”.
Mr Yong, who is tripartism director at the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), also confirmed that the workers were from the electronics manufacturer RF 360, which was previously called Epcos.
He said the union will follow up closely with the company for investigations into the leak to ensure that the workers’ safety at work is not compromised.
*Original article online at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/11-people-taken-to-hospital-after-kallang-way-chemical-leak-9041318
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