Victims of toxic fumes at Johor school share their experiences

JOHOR BARU: Housewife Nurul Hidayah Amelly Abdullah was not expecting to be admitted to hospital herself when she picked up her daughter, who was sick due to inhaling toxic fumes, from SK Taman Pasir Putih here.

 

"I rushed to pick up my daughter, who is a primary six pupil, when I was notified that the school had to be evacuated due to the fumes.

 

"She was already vomiting when I arrived and a few minutes later, I also was nauseous and collapsed outside the school," she said.

 

The 42-year-old said she was later sent to Hospital Sultan Ismail while her daughter Nur Iris Syuhada Tazudin was sent to the Air Biru Health Clinic.

 

Another victim, Intisaar Nazihah Mohd Nazri, 16, from SMK Pasir Putih, said she started to experience the same symptoms her schoolmates had earlier when she was at home that night.

 

"I was feeling a little nauseous when I left school after the evacuation but it was not severe.

 

"It started to get worse that night and my mother sent me to the hospital at about 9.30pm," she said, adding that her home was within walking distance of the school.

 

Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching said 21 students from SK Taman Pasir Putih and SMK Pasir Putih who had been affected by the toxic fumes have been receiving treatment at Hospital Sultan Ismail here since Thursday (March 7).

 

"At the moment, the schools are expected to be closed until Saturday (March 9) but we will first check if it is suitable for students to come back to school," she said in a press conference here along with Sultan Ismail Hospital Deputy Medical Director 2 Dr Surya Masrom.

 

Dr Surya said a total of 39 victims have been receiving treatment from Hospital Sultan Ismail, including a canteen operator, a teacher, a nurse, an ambulance driver, a doctor as well as those living near Sungai Kim Kim.

 

"Four of the victims - two female students, one ambulance driver and one canteen operator - are currently being treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)," she said.

 

Johor Health director Dr Selahudden Abd Aziz had, in a press statement, advised those living near Sungai Kim Kim to take preventive safety measures and avoid any activities near the river.

 

Johor Permaisuri Raja Zarith Sofiah had also paid a visit to victims of the toxic fumes at thr  Hospital Sultan Ismail on Thursday (March 7).

 

The Permaisuri received a briefing from Johor Health Director Dr Selahudden Abd Aziz about the condition of the victims during her hour-long visit to the hospital