A worker died yesterday, bringing the fatality count from a chemical spill in Tuas to three.

Two other workers died on Friday in the incident at Chemic Industries, when they suffered burns after a small quantity of nitric acid leaked from the flange joint of a heat exchanging unit.

Another two workers are now warded in the Singapore General Hospital (SGH). One of them is in critical condition with 70 per cent burns, while the other is in stable condition with 4 per cent burns. All the five workers were from India.

At least eight of their colleagues were keeping vigil at the intensive care unit when The Sunday Times visited the SGH Burns Centre yesterday.

This was the first time such an accident had happened, said a staff member from Chemic Industries who declined to be named.

The three men who died were in their 20s and 30s, and married with families in India. Their families have been notified.

The staff member described them as 'true family men' who would send the bulk of their salaries back to India every month.

'They were all good people who had never caused trouble. It's not just one but three lives lost in two days. We're keeping our fingers crossed that the other two men will pull through,' he said.

The company has arranged for at least one employee to be at the intensive care unit round the clock to monitor their condition.

A Ministry of Manpower spokesman said a stop-work order has been issued to the company.

Police investigations are still ongoing.