Rock debris from quarry blast kill factory worker, injure 10

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JOHOR BAHARU: A factory worker was killed while 10 others were injured after being hit by rock debris from an explosion at a quarry located along Jalan Bukit 2 of the Seri Alam Industrial Area here yesterday.

Johor Fire and Rescue Operations assistant director, Mohd Rizal Buang said the incident at 12.30pm also damaged 18 cars and 14 factories along the road and a Tenaga Nasional Berhad substation.

He said rock fragments were hurled as far as one kilometre away from the quarry concerned.

“The dead worker was a Nepalese in his 30’s and he died at the factory site after being hit by several large pieces of rock. The factory is only 500 metres from the quarry,” he told reporters at the scene.

Mohd Rizal said the department received a report on the incident at 1.14pm before the first fire engine from the Pasir Gudang station arrived at the site at 1.42pm.

He said a team of 37 fire and rescue personnel later carried out a search and rescue operation with the assistance of 16 policemen and TNB employees before declaring the area safe for the public.

He said the contractor involved had been identified and the operation of the quarry had been suspended immediately.

“The victim’s body was sent to Sultan Ismail Hospital here for a post-mortem while all injured were sent to the same hospital for treatment. The search and rescue operation has ended and the case had been handed over to police for further action,” he said. — Bernama