The Disease Surveillance Officers from the Quezon City Health Department's Epidemiology and Surveillance Division responded to reports of dizziness, headaches, stomachaches, and vomiting at a school in Barangay Del Monte, located near a cold storage facility that had recently burned down.
Based on interviews with teachers, officers learned that the unpleasant odor from decaying frozen goods lingered in the area even after the fire was extinguished.
The unpleasant smell from the cold storage facility reached residents, including students and teachers, living close to the incident site.
"Patuloy namang nakikipagtulungan ang lokal na pamahalaan sa may-ari ng pribadong pasilidad bilang pagtugon sa maaaring epekto sa ating mga komunidad," QC Epidemiology & Surveillance Division said in a Facebook post on Thursday.
In the meantime, the local government has advised people near the area to take these safety steps:
- Stay indoors. If possible, close doors and windows to minimize exposure to the unpleasant odor.
- If you need to go outside and continue to experience the foul smell, wear a facemask for your safety.
- If you experience headaches, stomachaches, dizziness, vomiting, or difficulty breathing, immediately visit the nearest health center or hospital for proper medical attention.
On January 20, a fire broke out at a cold storage facility in Quezon City, burning for more than nine hours before firefighters declared it under control.
