KINABATANGAN: Firemen in two districts reported two separate operations; one involved rescuing victims from a road accident, while the other was a fire which destroyed property.
In Kinabatangan, firemen rescued five victims from an accident involving a van and a lorry at Jalan Segaliud on Tuesday night.
According to the Operations Commander, PBK II Zia Hairil Hamzah, upon receiving an emergency call at 9.20 pm, firemen arrived at the scene 28 minutes later after travelling 26 kilometres from the station.
“The lorry driver and a passenger in the front seat of the van, who were trapped, were successfully extricated by firefighters using ‘Rescue Tools’. Three other victims also sustained injuries,” he explained.
The rescue operation, which lasted nearly two hours, involved close cooperation from seven firefighters, two policemen, and three medical personnel. All injured victims received initial treatment and were sent to the hospital for further attention.
Meanwhile, in Sandakan, a two-storey wooden house and a car repair workshop were completely destroyed in a fire near Taman Fulliwa, Batu 3½, early Wednesday.
The incident, reported at 4.42 am, burned the 50×50 foot structure and also damaged two vehicles.
Firefighters acted swiftly, arriving at the location within three minutes. According to Sandakan Fire and Rescue Station officer-in-charge Jimmy Lagung, 15 firefighters were involved using two engines, one EMRS vehicle, and one tanker lorry.
The fire was brought under control at 5.02 am and fully extinguished by 6.09 am. No casualties were reported. The cause of the fire and the estimated losses are still under investigation. – James Leong
