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Poison gas leak on plane hurts 5 workers

KUALA LUMPUR -- Five airport workers were admitted to a hospital after being exposed to poisonous gas escaping from canisters aboard a Malaysia Airlines aircraft, reports said yesterday.

Safety personnel scrambled aboard the Airbus 330 early Thursday after several workers unloading the canisters at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport suddenly became nauseous and started vomiting.

The plane was carrying 80 canisters filled with 2,000 kg of hydroxy quinolene, an anti-rust chemical. They were bound for Chennai, India.

A MAS spokesman said none of the passengers was endangered.

The 266 passengers and crew members were unaware of the incident. -- AP, The Star/Asia News Network, New Straits Times

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/asia/mal5_0318.html

-- (Dee360Degree@aol.com), March 17, 2000