Two lorry drivers were injured in a collision at Km109 of Jalan Kuantan–Segamat near Kampung Gadak, Muadzam Shah, today, which led to a chemical spill and caused severe traffic congestion along the single-carriageway road.
Rompin district police chief Superintendent Sharif Shai Sharif Mondoi said the accident involved a chemical tanker and a trailer. The 46-year-old trailer driver from Melaka suffered injuries to his chest and right knee, while the 53-year-old tanker driver from Negeri Sembilan sustained cuts to his left leg. Both men were taken to Muadzam Shah Hospital for treatment.
According to preliminary investigations, the tanker, which was travelling from Terengganu to Seremban, lost control, spun to the right, entered the opposite lane and collided with the oncoming trailer that was heading from Melaka to Kuantan.
“The case is being investigated for careless and inconsiderate driving,” Sharif Shai said in a statement.
Videos circulating on social media showed both vehicles blocking the road, causing traffic to back up for several hours. The affected stretch was only cleared at about 10am.
Pahang Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (operations) Mohd Salahuddin Isa said the trailer, which was carrying scrap metal, trapped its driver in the wreckage. Firefighters extricated him, while the tanker driver was assisted out of his vehicle by passers-by.
He added that the collision caused the tanker to leak, spilling chemicals onto the road. A Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) team from Kuantan was deployed to the scene.
“Due to heavy rain, the chemical was diluted and posed no danger to the public,” he said.
