SHAH ALAM (Bernama): The Selangor government has ordered an ice factory located next to SMJK (C) Chong Hwa near here to be moved to a more suitable location away from residential areas and schools.

Chairman of the Permanent Committee on Environment, Green Technology and Consumer Affairs, Science, Technology and Innovation, Hee Loy Sian, said the factory owner must move his operations as soon as possible to avoid a repeat of the recent incident when ammonia leaked from the building.

“Next week is the school holidays, and I feel it is a good time for the ice factory to be relocated, what is most important is that the ammonia gas tank in the factory must be moved,” he told reporters after visiting the school here Friday (Aug 17).

Hee added that the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) had also cancelled the factory's operating licence effective Friday, following a second leak on Thursday (Aug 16).

He said the state government will also direct all local authorities in Selangor to conduct a census of ice factories and facilities storing hazardous gases and chemicals to find out how many there are and their locations.

"It is an initial step to identify if such factories are located near schools and houses, if they are, they will be ordered to move to a more suitable location,” he said.

In the incident on Thursday, the school was closed down after a repeat of the gas leak occurred.

According to Selangor Health director Datuk Dr Khalid Ibrahim, seven students from the school were rushed to two hospitals after complaining of sore throat and breathing difficulty.

On Monday (Aug 13), an ammonia gas leak in the factory killed two workers while 18 others were rushed to hospital.

A similar incident occurred at the factory two years ago but there was no loss of life. - Bernama