A Form 4 female student sustained a minor hand injury after being exposed to a mercury spill during an incident at the chemistry laboratory of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Bukit Besi in Dungun, Terengganu.
The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon (7 July), prompting an emergency response from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM).
Thermometer shatters during science lesson
According to Al Muktafi Billah Shah Fire and Rescue Station operations commander, Senior Fire Officer II Kama Suhaimi Abdullah, the department received an emergency call at approximately 1:34 PM. A team of six firefighters was immediately dispatched to the school.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the incident occurred after a laboratory thermometer accidentally fell onto a table and shattered, spilling mercury across an area of approximately 0.6 square metres. The affected student suffered minor injuries and was taken to a nearby clinic for medical treatment.
School staff commended for quick action
Kama Suhaimi commended the school’s prompt response in managing the situation. School staff had immediately sprinkled sulphur powder over the affected area to help contain the chemical and minimise the risk of further contamination before the firefighters arrived.
Upon arriving at the scene, the fire and rescue team conducted decontamination and cleaning processes to ensure the chemistry laboratory was safe for future use, as reported by Guang Ming Daily.
All hazardous mercury residue was successfully collected by the firefighters and will be handed over to the relevant authorities for proper disposal in accordance with safety protocols.
No other injuries were reported, and the situation was brought under control without further incident.
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