NEA warns against water activities, fishing near Tuas Second Link after chemical tank accident

The public should avoid primary water contact activities like swimming and recreational fishing in the waters around Tuas Second Link, including areas around Raffles Marina, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) on July 24.

NEA gave this precautionary advice after an accident earlier in the day on the Malaysian side of the Second Link bridge involving two heavy tankers, which resulted in a chemical tank containing propylene glycol falling into the sea.

In a post on Facebook, NEA said it understands that the other tanker remained intact, with no chemical spill on the bridge.

Primary contact activities are those where a person's whole body or face and trunk are frequently immersed, and it is likely that some water will be swallowed. They include wakeboarding, windsurfing and water immersion training.

Propylene glycol is not classified as a hazardous substance and is biodegradable. The chemical is commonly used in food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, said NEA.

However, propylene glycol may cause low dissolved oxygen levels in the Lim Chu Kang fish farming zone, said NEA.

It added that the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has alerted fish farms in the area to be vigilant and have mitigation measures on standby. They should also notify SFA if there are abnormal fish and water conditions.

Singapore's desalination plants are currently not affected, and national water agency PUB is monitoring the seawater intake at the plants closely, NEA said.

NEA and other agencies are in close communication with their Malaysian counterparts, added the agency. It is also actively monitoring water quality in the affected area.

Malaysia's Iskandar Puteri Fire and Rescue Station chief Mohd Faiz Suleiman said an accident involving two lorries carrying propylene glycol had caused a tank from one of the lorries to plunge into the sea from the Second Link bridge.

He added that the fire department in Johor was alerted to the incident at about 5.40pm on July 24, and seven firemen and a Fire Rapid Tender vehicle were deployed to the scene, reported Malaysian daily The Star.

There was no contamination in the waters where the tank fell into the sea, and there were no signs of leaks from the tanks involved in the lorry accident, said Mr Mohd Faiz.

The accident caused delays for departure traffic at Tuas Checkpoint, said Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority.

A video posted on social media on July 24 shows a moving tanker hitting another tanker that appears to be stationary.

After impact, the moving tanker tips towards the edge of the bridge, sending the tank it is carrying into the sea.

The incident comes just a day after NEA held a chemical spill exercise at Tuas Second Link with Malaysia's Department of Environment and other agencies.

The exercise was part of a bilateral cooperation programme under the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment.

All three lanes of the Singapore to Malaysia-bound carriageway on Tuas Second Link were closed to vehicular traffic from 5am to 2pm on July 23 for the exercise.