Contract worker died after inhaling methane gas

A contract worker was killed while his two colleagues suffered severe breathing difficulties after inhaling methane gas when cleaning a tank at a processing plant owned by Petronas Gas Berhad (PGB) in Kertih, yesterday.

In the 3pm incident the victim Mohd Marwan Mustafa Afandi, 35, died at the scene while his friends Mohd Zul Aizat Aziz, 23, and Mohd Yaacob Badrishah, 24 were lucky to survive but experienced shortness of breath.

It was believed that the incident happened soon after the three victims entered the methane gas tank which was six meters from the ground and said to have been emptied for maintenance work.

Upon entering the tank, Mohd Mazwan suddenly collapsed and when his two colleagues, who were still outside tried to help, they suffered severe breathing difficulties.

However, both managed to climb out of the tank while Mohd Marwan was later brought out by a team of rescuers and sent to a nearby clinic but later pronounced dead.

Meanwhile, Kemaman OCPD Supt Mohd Said Ibrahim when contacted by Bernama, confirmed the incident.

The body was sent the Kemaman Hospital for post mortem while other two victims sent to the same hospital for further treatment were reported to be in stable condition.

PGB, in a statement today, said an investigation would be carried out and offered condolences to the family of the victim who died in the incident. -- BERNAMA