People scramble as motorbikes in shop explode one by one

A motorcycle shop in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur being engulfed with flames. PHOTO FROM THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia — What was supposed to be a normal lunch before work turned into an eventful one when P. Shankar witnessed a motorcycle shop in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur being engulfed with flames, setting off a chain reaction of vehicle explosions.

“I was eating lunch with my wife when we suddenly heard a loud explosion. We went to see what happened and saw the fire at a motorcycle shop nearby,” said Shankar, who works as an editorial artist at Star Media Group.

He said as the fire raged at the motorcycle shop in Taman Kasturi, it began to consume the vehicles inside.

“The motorbikes at the shop then started to explode one by one,” he added.

The fire also forced people to evacuate from shoplots nearby.

“There was a tuition center above the motorcycle shop with lots of young kids, about three or four-years-old,” he said.

He described the drama of the situation as the children “were rushing down and running out”.

Shankar said the fire caused “a lot of panic” and that owners of cars and motorbikes parked nearby also rushed to move their vehicles.

“From what I gathered, everyone managed to get out in time. Nobody was hurt,” he said.

Shankar said that he saw and heard a few explosions, and that he could feel the heat of the flames from 50 meters away.

When he left the area at around 1:10 p.m., Shankar said he saw two fire trucks rushing to the scene./rga