Tuesday August 9, 2011

Firemen prevent disaster after IPP fuel tank explodes

KOTA KINABALU: A fuel tank at an independent power plant (IPP) exploded, sending people scurrying for safety as they felt tremors at Sepanggar Bay.
However, firemen managed to avert a major disaster when they brought the fire under control and stopped it from spreading to the main fuel tank at the IPP at Kg Malawar, about 40km from here, at about noon.
No one was hurt and investigations are under way to determine the cause of the fire.
“It was a loud explosion and the ground shook for a long time,” said a Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd worker whose Kg Malawar station is located adjacent to the IPP.
The worker, who identified himself as Azman, 30, said that after taking cover, he saw smoke coming from one of the fuel tanks of the IPP and shouted to colleagues to clear the area as the fire could spread to the main tank.
He said they alerted the management and called the firemen, who arrived at the scene by 12.35pm.
Sabah Fire and Rescue Department information officer Mohamad Nor Amit said they received the distress call at 12.23pm and dispatched four fire trucks with 44 personnel to the scene.
“We were able to bring the fire at the fuel tank under control and stopped it from spreading to adjacent fuel tanks,” he said, adding that a full investigations was being carried out on the incident.
He said damages had yet to be estimated.