Tapah R&R area closed after tanker lorry carrying liquid chemical starts leaking

A tanker lorry carrying the chemical 'Cuprum chloride solution' started leaking near the exit from the Tapah Rest and Recreation (R&R) area at KM332 of the North-South Highway (south bound).

Perak Fire and Rescue Department director, Yahaya Madis, said the leakage was detected in one of the two tanker lorries.

"The leaking tanker has a capacity of eight tonnes and the solution was flowing into a drain nearby. Firefighters and Plus have blockaded the drain," he said when contacted here today.

He said the valve on the tanker had been closed but it was still leaking.

The incident was reported to the Tapah Fire Station at 12.58pm and now the Hazardous Materials Unit (Hazmat) from the Jalan Pasir Puteh Fire Station here, was at the scene to carry out safety measures, he said.

Meanwhile, Tapah head of Public Order and Traffic, Inspector Khairul Nizam Ismail, said the leakage was discovered as the tanker lorry was going to enter the highway after refuelling at the R&R Tapah.

In the meantime, a PLUSline spokesman told Bernama that PLUS had closed the entrance to the R&R denying accessibility to any vehicles.

"The period of closure depends on the clean-up and control operations by the Fire Department," he said.

However, so far traffic on the main highway was moving smoothly, he added.