One dead, seven injured after explosions at Jurong factory

SINGAPORE —  A laboratory fire today (Oct 12) caused multiple explosions at the factory of a gas manufacturing firm in the Jurong industrial area, killing a 30-year-old chemist and injuring seven others including four members of the company’s emergency response team. 

The cause of the fire is being investigated. Explosions were first heard at 9.20am at Leeden National Oxygen’s premises along Tanjong Kling Road.

The company immediately sent the emergency response team of 10 members to help contain the fire before fire-fighters from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) arrived soon after. 

A laboratory measuring 5m by 7m was engulfed in flames, said the SCDF, which deployed four water jets to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to the flammable cylinders storage area about 300m away. The fire was put out more than three hours later, at about 1pm. 

The worker who died was a mother of one who had worked for the company for about a year. She came from Malaysia and had obtained Singapore citizenship recently. When the explosions happened, she was in the laboratory with three others. 

The facility is used to conduct a wide range of activities, such as analysing, testing, calibrating and mixing of gases, said Leeden National Oxygen chairman and chief executive officer Steven Tham, 64.

Among the three workers who were in the laboratory and survived the blaze, one suffered from temporary loss of hearing and has been discharged from the National University Hospital (NUH). The other two were hospitalised at NUH for eye and ear injuries respectively.

The four rescuers suffered injuries such as smoke inhalation, lacerations and hand burns. Two of them have been discharged from Ng Teng Fong Hospital, while the other two were warded at NUH.

Speaking to reporters at NUH after visiting the hospitalised workers, Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say said: “We are going to conduct a very thorough investigation to find out the cause of this accident, draw lessons from it, and then take the necessary precautionary measures — if need be, new measures — to prevent this from happening again.” 

Among the two workers who were warded was Mr Nelson Poh, the company’s safety officer who led the emergency response team. Mr Poh was recovering well from smoke inhalation, said Mr Lim. 

Mr Lim said: “Right now, the immediate priority is for the company together with the agencies — the SCDF, National Environment Agency, Ministry of Manpower — to work very closely together to ensure that for those who are injured, they receive the best healthcare possible, ensure they have a smooth recovery.”

He added: “For the deceased, we will do whatever is necessary for the family. For the rest of the workers, their safety is our utmost concern ... the plant will not resume work until we are very sure that the work sites are safe again for the workers.”

Mr Tham said the company has contacted the family members of the victims, and it will assist the family of the deceased “in whatever ways we can”. He said the family has not made any funeral plans and will decide only today, after identifying the body.

Mr Tham commended Mr Poh and his team for their bravery. He added: “Without the (emergency response team), we cannot imagine what would have happened to the company instead.”

Mr Kelvin Lee, managing director and chief operating officer of Leeden National Oxygen, said that as the company deals with gases that may be flammable, it has a team made up of employees who are trained to respond to emergencies.