Liquid chemical tank of electronics factory destroyed in morning blaze
Posted on June 23, 2012, Saturday
MELAKA: A factory was almost burned down when an explosion occurred during transfer of a liquid chemical from a lorry to a tank at the Batu Berendam Free Industrial Zone yesterday.
In the 10.15am incident at a ceramics electronics component factory, one of the valves channelling the chemical emitted sparks and ingnited an explosion causing a fire in the tank located 15 feet underground.
Melaka Fire and Rescue Department assistant director Lokman Hakim Sulaiman said the department, which received a call at 10.20am, despatched eight fire engines and a Hazardous Material Hazmat) unit to the scene within five minutes.
“When the firemen arrived, the fire was burning fiercely destroying the 15,000 litre capacity tank but it was brought fully under control in 10 minutes,” he told reporters here.
He said 20 per cent of another tank, nearby, was also razed by the fire.
He said the fire also caused the chemical to spill into the drain in the compound of the factory for a distance of 300 metres.
Lokman Hakim said the Hazmat unit and factory workers were able to contain the spilled liquid by 4.18pm.
No injuries were reported and losses and cause of the fire were still being investigated, he added. — Bernama
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