Oil tanker laden with petrol on fire in north Sarawak

MIRI: An oil tanker laden with petrol fuel is on fire along the Miri-Bintulu Coastal Highway in northern Sarawak as at 9.30am Sunday (Feb 17).

The Miri Fire and Rescue Department have deployed firefighters and emergency-response medical units to the site.

Miri Fire and Rescue chief Supt Law Poh Kiong said they received a distress call at about 8.30am Sunday.

"The oil tanker is said to be carrying RON 95 fuel.

"Our teams are at the site now trying to contain the fire," he said.

Supt Law said the site of the incident is near Bekenu town, some 60km south of Miri.

How the fire started and whether the tanker driver is seriously hurt is still unclear.

Images posted by Sarawak Bomba in its latest updates show the oil tanker lying across the highway on its side.

A tanker of this size can be filled with up to 10,000 litres of fuel at any one time.