Tanker truck catches fire, driver slightly injured

0

Story updated at 4.30pm

The fire at its height.

MIRI: A tanker truck driver was slightly injured when he lost control of his vehicle while transporting about 30,000 litres of fuel oil tanks along KM51 Bintulu-Miri coastal road today.

State Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department chief Supt Alexon Naga Chabu said the 30-year-old driver from Kanowit was transporting diesel and RON95 fuel from Bintulu to Miri when the 8.30am incident happened near Kampung Pelapi in Bekenu.

“(Initial) Investigation reveals the driver lost control of the wheel, causing the truck to skid to the left of the road and overturned,” he said.

Alexson said the driver managed to get out of the truck on his own.

“Soon there was a spark from the lorry battery, causing the truck to catch fire,” said Alexson, adding that the driver’s license and identification card were burnt as a result of the incident.

Alexson said further investigation on the case is still being conducted under Rule 10 of the Road Traffic Rules 1959 (LN 166/59).

Meanwhile, Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Zone 6 chief Law Poh Kiong said 10 personnel from Miri Fire and Rescue Station, three personnel from Lopeng Fire and Rescue Station and six personnel from Samalaju Fire and Rescue Station were at the scene to control the situation.

Law said the fire destroyed 100 per cent of the truck and its load. The incident also caused the paths from both directions, Bintulu-Miri, to be inaccessible.

Firemen used foam and water to extinguish the fire. he added.

The police also helped to control traffic on the site and the victim was sent by the Civil Defence Force to Miri Hospital.

CMS personnel also helped in moving away the burnt truck to the road side to enable road users to pass through the road.

“We managed to control the situation about three hours later. The total loss has yet to be ascertained,” he said.