Melbourne Uni Evacuated After Smell Of A Rotting Durian Caused Hundreds To Fear A Gas Leak
Around 500 students and teachers were evacuated by the firefighters as a precaution while an investigation was carried out.
By Katrina Khairul Azman — 29 Apr 2018, 02:01 PM
Yesterday, 28 April, an entire university building in Melbourne, Australia was evacuated because the pungent smell of a rotting durian lead hundreds of students in the RMIT library to fear a major gas leak
After the smell of gas was reported, firefighters armed with breathing apparatuses arrived at the RMIT campus at 3pm, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
Since the building was known to store potentially dangerous chemicals, around 500 students and teachers were evacuated by the firefighters as a precaution while an investigation was carried out
However, a comprehensive search confirmed that the smell actually came from a rotting durian someone had left in a cupboard inside the building
A statement from the Metropolitan Fire Brigade revealed that the smell had moved around the building via the air-conditioning system, reported Straits Times.
The building was reopened by 6 pm, as the Environment Protection Authority took charge of overseeing the removal and storage of the waste.
Though the durian is regarded as a tropical delicacy across Southeast Asia, it has been banned in some public spaces around the world due to its strong smell
The "king of fruit" is not allowed inside of public transportation systems in Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
