Factory workers suffer food poison

BANDUNG: At least 580 workers at the Luen Fung garment factory in Bandung, West Java, were taken to the hospital after suffering food poisoning allegedly caused by the lunch provided by the factory, causing the plant to temporarily stop production.

Some 70 workers had to be hospitalized at Muhammadiyah Hospital due to dehydration. Another 204 workers were taken to Sartika Asih Hospital, of which 26 people had to be admitted. The rest were taken to Al Ihsan Hospital, Immanuel Hospital, Al Islam Hospital and the Bina Sehat clinic.

Several workers interviewed said that catered meals had caused gastrointestinal problems some four hours later.

Luen Fung human resources manager Yusuf said that this was the such first incident at the company, which contracted meal catering to PT Indosari.

Muhammadiyah Hospital's Intensive Care Unit head Hamdan S. explained that the poisoning was likely to have been triggered by a bacterial infection.

Dayeuhkolot police subprecinct chief Adj. Comr. Amrizal M Nur said that he had interviewed at least five people from the catering company. They had also taken water samples from the factory that he described as having a yellowish color. -- JP