Fire engines collide as they race to blaze

Fire engines collide as they race to blaze

MEDAN, North Sumatra (JP): Two fire engines collided here in
the wee hours of Tuesday morning when rushing to save the same
burning building.

The two fire engines, license plates BK-8831-AX and B-7770-XX,
were both rushing to a fire on Jl. Pandu Baru when the high speed
crash occurred at an intersection between Jl. Pemuda and Jl.
Palang Merah.

Four firemen were admitted to the hospital as a result of the
accident. Two of them were still unconscious as of noon Tuesday.

"The accident happened because both drivers were speeding to
the location of the fire. The road at the time was empty so they
pressed on very fast and did not anticipate the other coming
around the corner," fireman M. Sihotang said.

Fortunately the accident did not hamper other emergency
efforts to reach the fire.

Other fire engines were already heading to the scene when the
accident happened.

It took nearly an hour to put out the fire which gutted four
small shops as three of them were tailors with storerooms of
fabric. (39)