JOHOR BARU: A workshop owner died after a fire caused an explosion to hit his workshop along Jalan Persiaran Mutiara Mas at Taman Mutiara Rini near Skudai here.
The 41-year-old died at the scene due to severe injuries while his worker also sustained a broken leg and serious burns.
Iskandar Puteri OCPD Asst Comm Rahmat Ariffin said that the owner and a worker were both at the workshop prior to the incident, which took place on Monday (July 10) night.
“In the incident, the victim sustained serious injuries after his workshop caught fire. An explosion was heard soon after and the owner was found dead at the scene.
“A 27-year-old man, who is a worker at the workshop, also sustained serious burn injuries to his body and a broken leg,” he said here on Tuesday (July 11).
ACP Rahmat added that both the body and surviving victim had been sent to Sultanah Aminah Hospital for a post mortem and medical treatment, respectively.
Meanwhile, Skudai fire and rescue station operation commander Mohd Faiz Suleiman said that they received a distress call about the incident at around 9.13pm Monday.
He added that three Fire Rescue Tender (FRT) vehicles, one Emergency Medical Rescue Service (EMRS) unit and a utility vehicle were sent to the scene.
“Some 24 firemen from Skudai, Larkin and Pekan Nanas fire and rescue stations were sent to the location to help put out the fire and rescue the victims.
“When we arrived at the scene, the fire had destroyed about 60% of the premises while the explosion also caused damage to windows of three houses located about 30m away from the workshop,” he added.
Mohd Faiz also said that before the incident started, the two victims were at the workshop doing some wielding works.
He added that the fire also burnt two lorries while another 10-tonne lorry sustained damages due to the explosion.
“We were able to put out the fire and the operation ended at 11.39pm, The department is still investigating the cause of the fire and the value of the losses,”he said.
