Two injured in Petronas project fire, explosion
JOHOR BAHRU: Two locals have been confirmed injured in a fire incident at one of the lots of Petronas' Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (RAPID) project site in Pengerang, near Kota Tinggi earlier yesterday.
Kota Tinggi police chief Supt Ahsmon Bajah, who confirmed the matter, said the incident occurred at about 1.20 am.
He said an Emergency Response Team (ERT) with 30 personnel from the Pengerang RAPID Fire and Rescue Department were deployed after receiving a report on the incident.
"The fire was brought under control and extinguished by 2.15 am.
"The two victims, who worked as security guards, received outpatient treatment at the Pengerang RAPID Medical Emergency Centre," he said in a statement here, adding that investigations were still underway to determine the cause of the incident.
State Health, Environment and Agriculture Committee chairman Dr Sahruddin Jamal said only one injured victim in the Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC) fire was referred to a hospital specialist.
Sahruddin said the man was referred to a hospital after being struck by a glass fragment.
He also said a report from the Department of Environment showed no toxic substances were detected in the air following the incident.
“All readings are at normal level,” he said in a media conference at PIC management office here yesterday.
According Dr Sahruddin, the state government is discussing with Petronas and the Welfare Department to provide assistance to the affected communities.
Nonetheless, the community he said have to lodged police report and refer the matter to the village head and District Office.
Meanwhile, Petronas executive vice-president and Downstream chief executive officer Datuk Md Arif Mahmood who was also at the media conference said the priority now is not to find the cause of the incident but to ensure the areas involved are safe.
“We will only enter and inspect when it is safe,” he said.
PIC is the largest oil and gas development project in the region, as well as the largest downstream investment by Petronas so far.