JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor Department of Environment (DOE) detected ammonia at the fire control post during the firefighting operation at a lorry and engine oil store at Jalan Cenderai 27, Taman Kota Puteri, Masai, here yesterday.
Its director Dr Mohd Famey Yusoff, however, said the reading based on the monitoring carried out by his department starting at 8 pm last night did not reach the acute exposure guideline level-2 (AEGL-2).
He said AEGL-2 is a concentration in the air that can cause long-term irreversible or other adverse health effects or impaired ability to escape.
“(The reading) is not yet at the danger level, where the reading (was) slightly high when the fire was not extinguished. It is possible that the reading today will be low,“ he said in a statement today.
He said monitoring was also carried out in the surrounding areas including Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Kota Puteri, explaining that no volatile organic compound (VOC) readings were detected at all locations involved.
Therefore, he said the air quality in the fire area and its surroundings was no worrying as no hazardous pollutants were detected.
According to him, air quality monitoring would continue today.
Deputy chief of Zone I Senior Fire Superintendent Il Rosfarawadi Ismani Ismail was reported to have said that five premises were burnt in the incident involving an area of about 1,000 square metres, including 15 vehicles.
The Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) operations centre received an emergency call on the incident at 12.54 pm and a total of 34 personnel and assets from several fire stations including volunteer teams were rushed to the scene.
As of 6.30 pm yesterday, a Bernama observation found that about 20 families living around Taman Megah Ria, near the fire location, had been ordered to temporarily vacate their homes until the extinguishing operation was fully completed.
