RESIDENTS were temporarily evacuated while classes in a nearby school were suspended when ammonia leaked from an ice plant in Taguig City yesterday morning.
In an interview over radio DZBB, barangay councilman Otan Cuevas said the leak started at the ice plant on M. L. Quezon St. in Barangay New Lower Bicutan at around 7 a.m.
Cuevas said they were advised by the Bureau of Fire Protection to evacuate the residents.
“The advice of the Bureau of Fire Protection was to temporarily evacuate the residents around the area. There were also no more people inside the plant; they were also told to leave,” Cuevas said.
Maricar Brizuela of the Public Information Office of Taguig City 21 families affected by the leak were assisted by the City Social Welfare and Development Office.
She said 12 persons were brought to a hospital but nobody was “severely affected.”
The Taguig City Social Welfare and Development Office helped residents relocate to a temporary evacuation site at the Hagonoy Gymnasium.
Cuevas said several residents who experienced difficulty in breathing were brought to a hospital.
In a statement, the Taguig City government said classes at the nearby R. P. Cruz Elementary School were “immediately suspended to ensure the safety of the students and teachers.
“Roads leading to the incident area were promptly blocked to prevent people from approaching the incident site,” it added.
An incident command post was also set up manned by policemen, the local incident team and personnel from the city disaster risk and management office.
“This post is responsible for providing real-time updates on the situation in the affected areas of the ammonia leak,” the city government said.
It added that after conducting an investigation and assessment, the BFP “as of 9 a.m. declared that the ammonia leak has been successfully contained.”
