ISKANDAR PUTERI, Oct 10 — Three foreign workers were seriously injured after an explosion and fire broke out at four factories, including a chemical storage warehouse, in the SILC industrial park today.

The victims, all male Bangladeshi workers, managed to escape during the blaze, which is believed to have started around 11:30 am.

They sustained burn injuries covering 30 per cent of their bodies and were promptly taken to Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA) for treatment by the factory’s management team.

Mohd Faiz Suleiman, the operations commander at the Iskandar Puteri Fire and Rescue Station, reported that they were alerted to the incident following a distress call received at 11:33 am.

A total of 46 firefighters from various stations, including Iskandar Puteri, Skudai, Pekan Nenas, Pontian Baru, and Sebana Cove, were deployed to the scene.

Upon arrival, firefighters discovered that four factories were engulfed in flames, with damage estimated at 80 to 90 per cent. The affected facilities included a logistics factory and a paint thinner storage facility.

As of 3:30 pm, firefighting efforts were still in progress, with firefighters working to control the fire, which produced plumes of black smoke visible from nearby Johor Baru.

Paint thinners, known for their high flammability, pose a significant risk as their vapours can create explosive mixtures with air.

Assistant Commissioner M. Kumarasan, the Iskandar Puteri police chief, stated that authorities received a report about the fire at 11:45 am.

Investigations revealed that one of the factories was a chemical storage facility containing paint thinner.

Meanwhile, Iskandar Puteri MP Liew Chin Tong announced that his parliamentary office is providing food and refreshments to the firefighters battling the blaze.

He assured the public that investigations into the fire’s cause are underway, with the Department of Environment (DoE) on-site to assess any potential chemical pollution resulting from the incident.