Three people were hospitalized on Sunday afternoon after a gas leak in a supermarket in Macau. 

TDM reported that authorities responded to reports of a suspected gas leak at a supermarket along Avenida Olimpica in Macau's Taipa area. By the time police arrived at 2:00 pm, four supermarket staff had already shown signs of exposure to a dangerous substance.

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Eighty people were evacuated while three of the four workers were taken to the hospital. Police determined the presence of hydrogen sulfide gas, a poisonous compound that smells like rotten egg. 

"We detected the presence of hydrogen sulfide gas on the scene with a concentration of 200 ppm (parts per million). We used water to dilute that. As we speak, it is now at 0ppm," said Chan Chi Man, a spokesperson for the Fire Services Bureau. 

Hydrogen sulfide gas is extremely hazardous and flammable and is usually found in sewers or human and animal wastes. Prolonged exposure to it can have damaging effects to people's health. Its recommended exposure limit is only 100 ppm. This gas is considered dangerous to life as it can impede the person's ability to escape.

Those exposed at 200 ppm can experience pulmonary edema after one hour of exposure. Other respiratory problems can also occur, such as irritation of the respiratory tract. 1000 to 2000 ppm will cause instant death.

The source of the gas turned out to be one of the shop's clogged toilet, but the cause is still unknown.

"We will also arrange for inspections of residential units and shops to detect similar situations," Chan said.

Preliminary investigation showed that shops in the area were clear of leaks. 

TagsNews, Macau, Gas Leak, Taipa news, supermarket