A woman suffered third degree burns after a handphone she was using while refuelling, caught fire at a petrol station in Setapak Indah, Kuala Lumpur, today.

In the 1.25pm incident, the 25-year-old woman was said to have been talking over her handphone before a pump nozzle sparked the fire, causing her handphone to go up in flames.

Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department Operations officer Samsol Maarif Saibani said the victim sustained 60 percent burns on her body.

She was later sent to Kuala Lumpur Hospital for treatment. 

"Upon receiving the distress call at 1.25pm, a team of five firefighters from Wangsa Maju fire and rescue station was sent to the scene and arrived 10 minutes later," he said in a statement in Kuala Lumpur today.  

The petrol manager, Muhd Haikal Kamarudin said while the woman was refuelling her Perodua Axia, she was seated in the back passenger's seat next to the fuel tank with the door opened and talking over her handphone.

He said the quick action of one of his workers, who was suspicious at seeing only one side of a shoe left outside the vehicle, saved the woman who was trapped in the car.

"As soon as my worker opened the door, he saw a lot of smoke coming out (from the vehicle). The woman's entire body, together with her skin, was stuck onto the back passenger's seat," he told Bernama when met at the petrol station.

Muhd Haikal also said the fire was already put out when the worker arrived at the scene.

Subsequently, he said the entire station was closed and the police and fire and rescue department were contacted.

"At the same time, my workers barred the public from coming near the scene. They are all trained to act and render help in cases like this before assistance (from authority) arrives," he said.

- Bernama