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)