Eighty pupils in Kulai report mild symptoms after a rubber factory blaze, with health officials monitoring the situation as firefighting nears completion.

KULAI: Eighty pupils from two primary schools have reported mild symptoms including shortness of breath following a major fire at a rubber-processing factory.

Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said the pupils, from SK Taman Kota Kulai and SK Taman Kota Kulai 2, experienced headaches, coughs, eye irritation and mild breathing difficulties.

All affected individuals are being monitored by the Kulai District Health Office, with no hospital admissions reported so far.

Ling advised the public not to panic and to rely only on official sources for updates.

Those experiencing prolonged or severe symptoms have been urged to seek medical attention promptly.

“The district health office, together with relevant agencies, will continue to monitor the situation to ensure public safety and wellbeing,” he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Johor Department of Environment stated it had received no reports of river pollution from the incident.

Department assistant director Mazrita Masnon said the factory management was instructed to implement control measures to prevent firefighting water from entering nearby rivers.

The Johor Fire and Rescue Department expects the blaze, which has been burning since Tuesday, to be fully extinguished today.

Senior Fire Superintendent I Muhammad Tarmizi Md Jaafar said firefighting efforts were now 90% complete.

“Overhaul works will continue until we are certain there are no remaining flare-ups and no risk of reignition,” he told reporters.

The operation involves 45 personnel and four excavators digging through debris to douse hidden embers.

The department’s forensic unit has also entered the site to determine the cause of the fire.

The factory fire broke out at around 4 pm last Tuesday, leading to the closure of five nearby schools due to thick smoke and a burning odour.

 The Sun Malaysia