KOTA KINABALU: Five workers of Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) were seriously injured when a power substation near Api-Api Centre here caught fire, last night.
The workers, aged between 25 and 65, were conducting maintenance work when the fire broke out about 11.55pm.
Two of them suffered critical burns (70 per cent and 90 per cent) while three others sustained between 20 per cent and 40 per cent burns.
They were rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital 1 where four of them were being treated at the critical zone. The fifth victim received treatment at the semi critical zone.
It was learnt that the workers were repairing cables at the SESB substation following a power disruption in the area.
District police chief Assistant Commissioner M. Chandra said a team of policemen were rushed to the scene. Police have ruled out foul play in the incident.
“When the patrolmen arrived at the scene, the substation was on fire and four of the injured victims have been sent to the hospital,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sabah Fire and Rescue Department said the department received a distress call at 11.57pm and deployed eight personnel from the Kota Kinabalu fire station to the scene.
The department, in a statement later, said the fire was believed to have been caused by the switchgear oil at the substation.