1 dead, 2 in ICU after inhaling poisonous fumes at PUB plant
One worker has died after inhaling a poisonous gas while carrying out routine tank cleaning at the PUB Choa Chu Kang Waterworks on May 23.
The worker was one of three who had collapsed and were found unconscious. Two of the workers are in the intensive care unit at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.
The Public Utilities Board told Lianhe Zaobao on May 23 that the three people were carrying out routine water tank cleaning work when the incident happened.
They are believed to have inhaled the hydrogen sulphide produced during the water treatment process and fell into a coma.
“As a precaution, PUB has called a safety timeout for similar operations in confined spaces and is reviewing the associated safety measures."
PUB added that it will provide necessary assistance to the workers' families.
A worker who did not want to be named told the Chinese daily that a chemical gas leak was suspected to have occurred in the plant.
Another worker, 42-year-old Naga, was stopped at the gate and turned away when he tried to deliver goods at about 2pm.
"When I came at around 9am, I could still deliver goods normally. Everything seemed normal," he said.
Choa Chu Kang is among the oldest waterwork plants in Singapore. It has been slated for a major facelift, which will see it fitted with state-of-the-art technology, that will be completed by 2026.
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