SK Tudan evacuated after gas leak detected during construction of canteen

MIRI (Feb 6): The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) evacuated SK Tudan after a gas leak was detected during construction on its canteen.

Lutong fire station chief Henry Jugah told The Borneo Post that the gas leak occurred during piling works, after two bored pile holes were drilled between 33.6 metres and 33.9 metres deep.

“At the moment, the area affected by the gas is within a 60-metre radius from the source.

“As the type of gas has yet to be identified, the school was ordered to be evacuated as a precautionary measure,” he said at the site.

He said a distress call on the incident was received at 10.15am, prompting a team from Lutong fire station to be deployed to the site, located about 8km away.

Barriers were installed around the affected bored piles after an initial size-up and all construction activities in the affected area were halted on safety grounds.

Henry said this was in line with instructions from Miri police chief ACP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah.

Mohd Farhan explained evacuation was the safest option pending identification of the gas that leaked.