MELAKA: A lorry carrying 90 ammonia gas cylinders overturned at Jalan Utama, Kampung Sungai Timun at Lubok China, Alor Gajah here, causing six of them to leak.

Melaka Fire and Rescue Department Zone 1 officer Zulkhairani Ramli said the department received an emergency call at 9.47 am before 17 firefighters from Masjid Tanah and Alor Gajah fire stations rushed to the scene.

"The leakage caused air pollution and the Hazmat team set up a fire control post with a radius of 100 metres around the incident site.

"Initial readings showed an ammonia level of around 80 parts-per-million (PPM) and decontamination using the 'water fog' technique was then carried out until the reading dropped to 10 PPM," he said in a statement here today.

Zulkhairani said the firefighters managed to control the situation within 45 minutes and the operation ended at 1.22 pm.

The operation has been handed over to Rembau fire station in Negeri Sembilan for further action.

-- BERNAMA