Men escape unharmed after fuel truck catches fire

A fuel tanker carrying gasoline and diesel caught fire early Saturday on the Mabura Road while en route to Lethem, Guyana’s police said. No injuries were reported.

The truck, registered GAJ 9707 and owned by a Lethem-based businessman, was transporting 19,500 litres of gasoline and 19,500 litres of diesel when a rear tyre reportedly exploded around 5:15 a.m., igniting the blaze.

Driver Vijay Persaud, 38, and his 20-year-old porter, Joseph Layne, managed to escape unharmed after attempts to extinguish the fire with an onboard extinguisher failed, police said. The vehicle was quickly engulfed in flames.

A fire crew led by sub-officer Fenton Drepaul-Saul arrived with a water bowser around 11:15 a.m. and brought the blaze under control within an hour.

The truck was destroyed, but traffic flow in the area has since returned to normal. Police said both Persaud and Layne are assisting with the investigation.