The hilly area outside Macau’s Public Health Laboratory building was ablaze yesterday after sparks caused by welding ignited leaves there, but the incident did not cause any damage to the laboratory, and neither did it affect the laboratory’s testing service, the Health Bureau (SSM) said in a statement.
About 70 of the laboratory’s staff members self-evacuated during the fire, which lasted just a short time, the Fire Services Bureau (CB) said.
The Public Health Laboratory, which is located near the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre, is built on Guia Hill, with its entrance in Estrada dos Parses.
The SSM statement said that smoke was detected in the area outside the Public Health Laboratory at around 3:20 p.m., because of which its staff members “quickly” self-evacuated to a safe location outside the building.
When several Health Bureau equipment maintenance workers were welding the railings at the laboratory’s outdoor fire escape staircase at around 3 p.m., a gust of wind blew up the welders’ protective board, because of which sparks caused by the welding equipment reached the hilly area and set fire to leaves and shrubs there, the statement said.
The workers called the emergency services, the statement said, adding that they and security guards together quickly put the blaze out with fire extinguishers and fire hoses, before firefighters arrived at the scene.
The firefighters continued hosing down the area so as to lower the temperature, before they confirmed the area’s safety at around 4 p.m., the statement said.
The Health Bureau confirmed that the fire did not cause any damage to the laboratory, and neither did it affect the laboratory’s testing service, the statement said.
The laboratory’s work includes COVID-19-related tests.
Staff members of the Health Bureau’s (SSM) Public Health Laboratory self-evacuate after the hilly area outside the building was ablaze yesterday. Courtesy: TDM
Two firefighters check leaves and shrubs which had been ignited by sparks caused by welding on the Public Health Laboratory’s outdoor fire escape staircase yesterday afternoon. Courtesy: TDM
