KUCHING: The engine bays of two vehicles caught fire in separate locations last night (Jan 19) but were swiftly extinguished by quick-thinking residents.
A spokesman for the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said they received distress calls at 8.37 pm and 8.41 pm about car fires in Bintulu and Siburan, respectively.
In Bintulu, firefighters from the Kidurong station were dispatched to Sungai Plan, Tanjung Kidurong, about 3km from their station, regarding a Toyota Hilux fire.
Upon arrival, they found that the fire had already been doused by members of the public using a dry powder fire extinguisher.
The team disconnected the car battery wires for safety purposes before concluding the operation at 9.04 pm once it was deemed safe.
Meanwhile, in Siburan, firefighters from the Siburan station were deployed to JPJ High Park, Jalan Padawan, about 20km from their station, regarding a Perodua Viva fire.
Upon arrival, they found that the fire had already been extinguished by the 51-year-old owner using two dry powder fire extinguishers.
The team monitored the situation and disconnected the car battery wires to eliminate further risks. Once the situation was secure, the operation concluded at 9.14 pm.
The exact cause of the fires and the losses incurred in both cases are still under investigation.