Quick Action Of Sabah Bomba Boss Thwarts Major Tragedy Near The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
"I saw plumes of smoke coming out of the ambulance's bonnet."
By Sadho Ram — 04 Feb 2018, 05:34 AM
On Saturday night, Sabah Fire and Rescue Department Director Nordin Pauzi's quick action thwarted an ambulance fire from becoming a major tragedy near the Queen Elizabeth Hospital
At around 7.40pm, an ambulance ferrying a patient and three others from Kota Marudu to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu had suddenly caught fire.
It was sheer luck that the Sabah Bomba boss, who had just finished jogging at a nearby park and was driving home when he spotted the burning ambulance.
"I saw plumes of smoke coming out of the ambulance's bonnet. Without hesitation, I stopped my car and rushed to the scene.
"As soon as I arrived, I asked a nearby security guard to grab several fire extinguishers, which I used to put out the fire," NST Online quoted Nordin as saying.
A spokesman from Kota Kinabalu Fire & Rescue Department said that there were four people onboard the burning ambulance
However, thanks to Nordin's quick action, no casualties were reported.
The spokesman said that the KK Fire & Rescue Department received a call about the incident at 7.49pm and dispatched a team of 10 firemen to the scene.
"As a result, 20% of the ambulance was burnt. However, investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire," he told NST Online.
The Sabah Fire Department Director's actions prevented the fire from engulfing the ambulance and spreading to nearby vehicles
According to a report in The Star Online, Nordin said that while he had not been involved in putting out fires for a while now, he still kept his fire-fighting skills sharp.
"No matter what, the blood of a fireman will always run through this body," he told The Star Online, adding that he was glad to be on the scene to help and prevent a more serious incident from occurring.
