Five people suffered burn injuries after a workers’ van caught fire when it lost control and crashed into an electricity pole near BP Speed Laundry here on Thursday night.
The Fire and Rescue Department received an emergency call regarding the incident at about 8pm, prompting personnel from the Batu Pahat Fire and Rescue Station to respond immediately.
Operations commander Senior Fire Officer I Ridwan Gembur said eight firefighters, assisted by a Fire Rescue Tender (FRT) and an Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) unit, were dispatched to the scene located about eight kilometres from the station.
Upon arrival, firefighters found the workers’ van had veered off the road, collided with an electricity pole and was engulfed in flames.
Initial investigations revealed that five occupants sustained burn injuries while attempting to escape from the burning vehicle.
Ridwan said all the victims had managed to get out of the van before the emergency team arrived at the scene.
The injured were later transported to Hospital Sultanah Nora Ismail in the EMRS vehicle for further treatment.
Firefighters successfully brought the blaze under control using water from the fire engine’s tank.
A subsequent inspection of the vehicle also found an acetylene gas cylinder inside the van, although the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
