KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 — Malaysian environmental authorities have intensified air and water quality monitoring after a fire at a scheduled waste facility in Gebeng, Pahang, amid concerns that pollutants from the site could spread into nearby waterways.

The Department of Environment (DOE) said it was alerted to the incident at the Gebeng Industrial Area at about 7.20am on June 12 before dispatching enforcement officers to assess the potential environmental impact.

Initial findings indicated that the fire engulfed a processing area housing Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC) and drums containing scheduled waste, with the affected site spanning an estimated 6,530 sq m. The exact volume and nature of the waste involved remain under investigation.

Gebeng is one of Malaysia’s largest petrochemical and heavy industrial hubs, home to numerous chemical, manufacturing and energy-related facilities along Pahang’s east coast.

During inspections, DOE officers discovered traces of oil in a nearby water channel, prompting concerns that pollutants could enter the drainage system and eventually reach Sungai Balok if left unchecked.

“During inspections, the DOE detected traces of oil in a nearby water channel, which could potentially contaminate the drainage system and eventually flow into Sungai Balok if not promptly controlled,” the department said in a statement.

Authorities said emergency mitigation measures had already been implemented by the facility operator under the supervision of relevant agencies, including the placement of sandbags to block contaminated runoff and the recovery of polluted liquids into appropriate storage containers.

The DOE said it had also deployed air quality monitoring equipment at the nearby Gebeng Industrial Training Institute (ILP) to detect the presence of hazardous gases following the fire.

“The DOE has also conducted air quality monitoring in the surrounding area to detect the presence of any hazardous gases resulting from the incident,” it said, adding that the equipment would remain in operation for 24 hours.

Water samples have been collected and sent to the Chemistry Department for analysis, while drones are being used to monitor the affected area from the air.

The department said a more detailed assessment would be carried out to determine the extent of any environmental contamination and whether there had been breaches of environmental laws.

“Should investigations reveal any discharge, spillage or pollution that contravenes provisions under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127), appropriate enforcement action will be taken,” the DOE said.

The DOE urged members of the public with information related to the incident or suspected pollution activities to lodge complaints through its toll-free hotline, e-Aduan platform or other official channels.