KUANTAN, Oct 2 — A driver of a trailer was injured after his vehicle lost control and slid into the Lubok Gayong creek, Benta at Kilometer 2, Jalan Benta - Jerantut, Lipis yesterday morning.

Kuala Lipis District Police Chief Supt Ismail Man said during the 9am incident, a trailer carrying 42 tonnes of palm oil and driven by Muhamad Ruzaini Abdul Manaf, 36, was on its way to Semenyih, Selangor from a palm oil factory in Felcra Jaya Putra, Kampung Damak.

"Initial police investigation found that when the trailer arrived at the scene, the driver lost control and skidded to the left of the road and hit a TNB electricity pole. The incident caused the palm oil tank load to roll into the Lubok Gayong creek.

"As a result of the accident, the driver from Felda Jengka 11, Jerantut sustained injuries to the back of the body and was sent to the Benta Health Clinic for further treatment,” he said in a statement tonight.

He said the case was being investigated under Rule 10LN 166/59 (Traffic Rules - 1959).

The Pahang Department Of Environment (DOE) in its statement confirmed that there was a spill of crude palm oil (CPO) as a result of the incident and that immediate action had been taken by the trailer concerned.

"The estimated CPO that has spilled is as much as eight to 12 tons which is 20 percent to 30 percent of the full capacity of the tank which is 40 tons.

"Cleaning up the oil spill and removing the lorry tank is being carried out by the transporter and the company that owns the CPO at the location of the incident and the river area involved,” he said.

According to the statement, DOE also inspected the downstream part of the river where the incident occurred and found that there were no traces of palm oil flowing to the downstream area in Sungai Lipis.

"Further inspection also found that no nearby water treatment plant was affected by this incident,” he said. — Bernama