KUCHING, Nov 17: The contractor for the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road (SSLR) has been ordered to immediately stop site clearing and soil works along the construction route of the project while investigations are being carried out on the Sabah-Sarawak Gas Pipeline (SSGP) explosion incident.
In a statement today, the Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak’s Pan Borneo Highway Unit said a stop-work order has been issued to the contractor following the explosion and fire incident involving the SSGP which is near to the construction route of SSLR project in Lawas.
“The exact cause of the incident is still under investigation.
“JKR Sarawak will cooperate with the authorities and related parties in helping to investigate this incident thoroughly,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Petronas, which operates the SSGP near KP132 Lawas area said the incident was believed to have involved a third-party contractor performing work unrelated to the SSGP operations nearby the pipeline’s Right-of-Way (ROW) area.
Petronas has also lodged a police report with regard to the incident which killed one person who was operating the excavator and injured two other individuals.
The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) reported yesterday that the force from the blast and fire has also caused an excavator to be totally destroyed, apart from a motorcycle, a bulldozer and a lorry which suffered a certain degree of damage. — DayakDaily
