QuickCheck: Did a tank of chemicals fall into the sea off Johor?
When a tank of chemicals takes an unscheduled dive off a lorry, questions about environmental safety bubble to the surface.
Did such an incident really happen in Johor as seen in a viral video?
VERDICT:
TRUE
Operations are ongoing at the Second Link Crossing as a tank of chemicals has fallen off a lorry and into the sea at Tanjung Kupang near Gelang Patah.
Iskandar Puteri Fire and Rescue station chief Mohd Faiz Suleiman said seven firemen and a Fire Rapid Tender (FRT) vehicle were deployed to the scene located about 16km from the station.
He added that the Johor Fire and Rescue Department Operation Centre received the call on the incident on Thursday (July 24) at 5.41pm.
"An accident involving two lorries carrying propylene glycol caused a tanker from one of the lorries to plunge into the sea from the bridge," he said in a statement.
Propylene glycol is a colourless, nearly odourless and tasteless thick liquid, used in many processed products because it helps them maintain their consistency, moisture and texture.
The chemical is usually made from petroleum, though some companies are now making it from plants like canola and soybean.
It is also present in many cosmetics, dog food, bath products and medications.
The industrial version is an active ingredient in engine coolants, airplane deicers, enamels, paints, varnishes and polyurethane cushions.
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