Three students exposed to mercury

SANDAKAN: Three secondary school students were exposed to mercury when a thermometer dropped and broke in the school’s laboratory here yesterday.

They were identified as Mohd Zahir, Hamidah Azrul and Siti Salmiah Yakub, all 14-year-old Form two students of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Elopura.

The students were reportedly making use of the thermometer for a science experiment when it dropped from the table and broke spilling the mercury contents.

They were believed to have been exposed to the mercury on their skin.

The Sandakan Fire and Rescue Department received a call about the incident at 3.04 pm and seven firemen were despatched to the scene to clean up the spilled mercury from the broken thermometer using sulphur powder.

Its chief, Anddre Andrew, said the clean-up operation ended at around 3.45 pm while the affected students were treated at school before they were sent to the hospital for further treatment.