BUKIT MERTAJAM — National sewerage company Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) has received approval from the relevant authorities to carry out a CCTV inspection of the sewer system at the Bukit Minyak industrial park tomorrow, following an explosion at a sewer line there two days ago.
“The Fire and Rescue Department has cleared us to proceed with the CCTV (inspection) on Monday,” IWK told Scoop when contacted.
IWK added that the National Water Services Commission (Span) will also be conducting a site visit to the location of the explosion on the same day.
The company previously said the inspection is necessary to assess the internal condition of the sewer network ahead of any permanent repair works.
The incident occurred on Friday, when an underground explosion was reported near a sewer line along Lengkok Perindustrian Bukit Minyak 2.
The Penang Fire and Rescue Department said it received an emergency call at around 2.45pm and confirmed a single blast had taken place.
Air quality checks conducted at the site revealed no immediate danger, and no injuries were reported.
The department’s hazardous materials (Hazmat) unit later confirmed neutral readings from the sewer fluid and found no further threats at the location.
Initial assessments by IWK indicated that the sewer network remains structurally sound with no visible blockages. However, the explosion had dislodged a manhole cover and damaged a nearby road culvert.
Notably, IWK said its inspection detected a pink-coloured, noxious gaseous influent within the sewer system — a sign of illegal chemical discharge from a nearby factory.
The company has reported the finding to the Department of Environment (DoE) and Span, and has requested assistance in identifying the source of the chemical spill.
When asked whether the department had begun sampling the chemical influent or questioning nearby factories, Penang DoE director Norazizi Adinan said investigations would be carried out jointly with other relevant agencies.
A Scoop visit to the site found that traces of the gas were still detectable, although the odour was not strong enough to spread to the surrounding area.
A wooden plank had been used to temporarily cover the manhole, which has since been cordoned off to restrict access. — June 8, 2025