KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 -- Malaysian environmental authorities have intensified air and water quality monitoring after a fire at a scheduled waste facility in Gebeng, Pahang, amid concerns that pollutants from the site could spread into nearby waterways.

The Department of Environment (DOE) said it was alerted to the incident at the Gebeng Industrial Area at about 7.20am on June 12 before dispatching enforcement officers to assess the potential environmental impact.

Initial findings indicated that the fire engulfed a processing area housing Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC) and drums containing scheduled waste, with the affected site spanning an estimated 6,530 sq m. The exact volume and nature of the waste involved remain under investiga...