Train collides with fuel tanker near Kota Kinabalu airport

A train collided with a fuel tanker at Jalan Kepayan–Jalan Lintas junction near Kota Kinabalu earlier this evening, near the Kota Kinabalu International Airport.

Eight people were reportedly injured in the fireball that resulted, which a heavy rain eventually helped to douse.

The Sabah Police Commissioner, Hamza Taib, told reporters at the scene that the rest of the passengers in the train carriages either escaped or were rescued by firefighters. The victims were rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The fuel tanker which was due to deliver its load to a gas station, was crossing the railway track when the train hit it.  It is not known why the railway crossing was not working. The driver of the tanker is assisting the police with investigations. The train driver suffered leg injuries.

Bernama reports that Sabah Fire and Rescue Department director Nordin Fauzi said five fire-engines were despatched from the Kota Kinabalu, Penampang and Lintas fire stations. He said they were also assisted by a water tanker and two fire-engines from the Airport Fire and Rescue Unit.

Rescuers search train-tanker collision site for survivors (update)

Malaysian fire and rescue officers were searching today for 34 people
missing a day after a train collided with a fuel tanker.

Royal Dutch Shell, which owns the fuel tanker, said company officials were
working with the authorities to determine the cause of the accident, The
Star newspaper reported.

Earlier reports said the tanker was being driven across an unofficial
railway crossing when it collided with the train.

Source: dpa