KUCHING: Three separate fire incidents involving vehicles were reported in Kota Samarahan and Miri over the past two days.
In Kota Samarahan, a 26-year-old man escaped with only back pain after his Perodua Axia caught fire following a self-accident near SK Jalan Muara Tuang this morning.
The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Sarawak said they received a distress call at 3:53 am and deployed a team from the Kota Samarahan Fire Station.
“Upon arrival, the vehicle was already 100 per cent ablaze. The victim managed to get out safely and suffered back pain,” the department said in a statement.
Firemen brought the situation under control within minutes using a hose reel from the fire engine and the operation ended at 4:28 am.
In another case on the same day, a Perodua Myvi was partially destroyed in a fire at Jalan Balsam, Tudan, Miri.
The Lutong Fire Station responded to the 2:50 am call and found that about 20 per cent of the car’s engine bay had been burnt.
“The blaze was already put out by the owner using tap water before firemen arrived,” it said.
Meanwhile, on Thursday night, an excavator parked by the roadside in Kampung Tunah, Bekenu, Miri, was also damaged after catching fire.
The Batu Niah Fire Station received the alert at 9:05 pm and firefighters arrived at the scene about half an hour later.
Members of the public had already managed to douse most of the flames with water from a nearby source before firemen arrived.
“About 70 per cent of the heavy machine was destroyed. Firemen extinguished the remaining embers using a hose reel from the fire engine,” it said.
No injuries were reported in both Miri incidents.
Bomba Sarawak said the causes and estimated losses are still under investigation.
