Police are investigating the cause of a fire which started at 5pm on Tuesday in an ambulance in Teuk La’ak II commune, in Tuol Kork district in the capital, which seriously injured its driver.

Municipal fire department director Prom Yorn said on Wednesday that experts from his department, the police and local authorities are jointly investigating the case.

Teuk La’ak II commune deputy police chief El Savuth said the victim, Chhun Tith, 38, is an ambulance driver team leader at Preah Kossamak Hospital in the commune.

The victim’s legs, arms, hands and some parts of the head, especially on the right part of his body, were seriously injured by burns.

“Hospital doctors immediately treated the victim,” said Savuth, adding that one ambulance was completely written off while another two were partially destroyed by the fire.

According to the victim, the ambulances that belonged to the hospital were equipped with oxygen for emergency treatment.

He wanted to replace an empty oxygen tank, but when he was using the spanner to unscrew the cover, a spark was lit and lighted up a bottle of uncovered alcohol.

Two fire trucks were sent to the scene and used eight cubic metres of water to put out the fire.

The National Police website said the fire did not spread to nearby houses with the ambulance driver being the only victim.