The lorry was on its way to the Sepanggar port here when the trailer with the drums of acid became detached and tipped over, spilling the acid on the road.

No one was injured in the incident which occurred at 5.10pm.

Investigations revealed that the Nissan truck, carrying 32 800-litre drums of acid, had been travelling from the Sabah Forest Industries Sdn Bhd (SFI) plant in Sipitang, about three hours south of the capital city.

“The driver, 43-year-old Sulkana Callabe, was travelling alone when the incident happened,” said Beaufort police chief DSP Azmir Abdul Razak.

“When the lorry was going on an uneven part of the road, it is believed the lashings that tied the trailer to the lorry became loose, causing the trailer to separate and tip over on the left side of the road.

“The spill caused a lot of vapour, prompting the authorities to close the road on both directions for about 45 minutes, causing a 2km-long congestion.”

Firemen from the district’s fire station then arrived at the scene and sprayed the road to lessen the smoke, the police chief added.

Residents nearby were told to stay clear of the immediate area and to seek medical treatment if they suffer from itching or breathing difficulties.

“We believe the incident was caused by a technical problem concerning the trailer-lorry lashings,” said Azmir.

“Investigations showed the driver was not drunk at the time of the mishap.”

A crane was used to remove the trailer from the road, according to an advisory from the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department.

“The hazmat operation concluded at 5.10am today,” the advisory said.

Twenty-six firemen and hazmat officers took part in the acid-clearing operation.