Kulai: Eighty pupils from two primary schools in Kulai have reported mild symptoms, including shortness of breath, following the fire at a rubber-processing factory in Sengkang. Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said the pupils, 56 of whom were from SK Taman Kota Kulai and 24 from SK Taman Kota Kulai 2, experienced symptoms including headaches, coughs, eye irritation, and mild breathing difficulties.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ling Tian Soon stated that the pupils are all being monitored by the Kulai District Health Office, with no hospital admissions reported so far. He assured that the district health office, along with relevant agencies, will continue to monitor the situation to ensure public safety and wellbeing.

Ling advised the public not to panic and to rely only on official sources for updates. He urged those experiencing prolonged headaches, severe coughs, eye irritation, or breathing difficulties to seek medical attention promptly.

Meanwhile, Johor Department of Environment assistant director Mazrita Masnon reported no incidents of river pollution as a result of the fire. The factory management has been instructed to implement control measures to prevent water used in firefighting operations from entering nearby rivers.

The Johor Fire and Rescue Department expects the blaze, which has been burning since Tuesday, to be fully extinguished today. Senior Fire Superintendent I Muhammad Tarmizi Md Jaafar, assistant director of operations for the department, indicated that firefighting efforts are now 90 percent complete.

The operation involves 45 personnel and four excavators tasked with digging through and dousing residual debris to prevent hidden embers from reigniting. The department's forensic unit is on site to determine the cause of the fire. The factory fire broke out at around 4 pm last Tuesday, leading to the closure of five schools in the surrounding area due to thick smoke and a burning odour that could pose health risks to staff and pupils.