An explosion of a chemical substance injured three soldiers during a training exercise in Gemas, south of here, yesterday, police said today.

Tampin Police chief Supt Hamzah Ab Razak, who confirmed the incident, said there had been no official report on the matter.

"There is no report yet ... but the incident happened," he told Bernama in a message over WhatsApp.

It is learnt that the soldiers, serving with the 22nd Commando Unit, were treated at the army hospital of the Syed Sirajuddin Camp in Gemas before being transferred to the Segamat Hospital in Johor at about 3pm yesterday.

One of them is said to be in critical condition with 32 per cent burns on the body while the two others suffered 27 per cent and 10 per cent burns and were in a semi-critical condition. -- BERNAMA