Student hurt after mercury spill in Terengganu school chemistry lab

DUNGUN, July 7 — A female student was injured after coming into contact with mercury spilled on a laboratory table at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Bukit Besi here today. 

Al Muktafi Billah Shah Fire and Rescue Station Operations Commander Kama Suhaimi Abdullah said the Form Four student was sent to a nearby clinic for treatment. 

He said the department received a call regarding the incident at 1.34 pm. 

“Six firefighters were dispatched to the scene and upon arrival, found that a mercury spill had occurred at the school’s chemistry laboratory. 

“The school’s initial response involved sprinkling sulfur powder around the spill area to contain and reduce the risk of mercury contamination while awaiting further action,” he said in a statement today. 

He said the incident occurred when a thermometer fell and broke on a table, resulting in a mercury spill covering an estimated area of 0.6 square metres. 

He said firefighters carried out cleaning works at the spill site using prescribed hazardous material handling procedures. 

“The collected mercury waste was placed in a waste disposal bag before being handed over to the school authorities for disposal,” he said. — Bernama