7 including 2 SCDF officers suffer eye irritation, difficulty in breathing after chlorine leak off Tuas

Annabeth Leow
The Straits Times
4 September 2016

Seven people, including two Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers, were sent to hospital after a chlorine gas leak off Tuas on Sunday (Sept 4).

The leak was traced to a one-tonne cylinder of chlorine gas in an indoor storage facility in 3, Jalan Samulun, which is in the Tuas area, SCDF said in a Facebook post.

The seven people had difficulty breathing and developed eye irritation and were conveyed to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital for exposure to chlorine vapour, which is corrosive.

The Straits Times understands that they have all since been discharged.

The SCDF was notified around 9.20am and dispatched three fire engines, four hazardous materials appliances, three ambulances and two support vehicles.

A specialist team plugged the source of the leak, while another team used three water jets to dilute the chlorine vapour in the air.

Operations concluded at noon.

SBS Transit diverted bus service 249 for about 1½ hours due to the chemical leak. Workers in the area were also evacuated.

The SCDF tested the air for traces of chlorine vapours, and found none as of its last reading at 11.50am. An investigation into the incident is underway.