KOTA KINABALU: Two men were burnt while escaping from a lorry carrying 45 Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders that caught fire along Jalan Damai near Taman Kim Jaiyen in Sandakan on Saturday morning (June 21).
The victims, a 50-year-old local driver and his Indonesian assistant, sustained burns to their shoulders, hands, and arms.
They were given immediate medical attention before being sent to the district hospital for further treatment.
According to Sandakan Fire and Rescue chief Jimmy Lagung, nine firefighters were deployed to the scene after receiving a distress call at 11.09am.
“The lorry was already fully engulfed in flames when our team arrived at the scene, approximately 4km from the station, at 11.16am,” he said.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze using a 100-foot hose line and two foam jets, drawing water from both a fire engine and a water tanker.
“The driver suffered burns to his shoulder and hand, while his assistant sustained burns to his right hand,” Lagung added.
The fire was brought under control by 11.22am and fully extinguished by 12.14pm.
Fire crews later conducted a thorough inspection to ensure no further hazards remained before ending the operation. – Bernama
