Lorry seen careening into cars at high speed at toll plaza in Malaysia
A one-year-old boy has died after a lorry rammed into cars queuing at a toll plaza in Malaysia.
Eight others were also injured in the crash, said the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) as quoted by The Malay Mail.
Source: Traffic Info Crew on Facebook
Lorry seen smashing through three cars at Malaysia toll plaza
Video footage of the accident circulating online showed cars waiting to enter the Bukit Kajang toll plaza, located in Selangor state.
In the clip, which has a timestamp of 10.55am on Saturday (27 Sept), the lorry is seen careening at high speed through one of the lanes.
It smashed through three cars and flipped on its side, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Source: Traffic Info Crew on Facebook
Crushed four-wheel drive vehicle had someone trapped underneath
Photos of the aftermath showed a crushed four-wheel drive vehicle with what appeared to be someone trapped under it.
Source: Traffic Info Crew on Facebook
Another vehicle, a Proton, suffered extensive damage to its rear, including a completely shattered rear window.
Source: Traffic Info Crew on Facebook
The lorry had tipped over onto its left side, spilling out a large amount of scrap metal onto the road.
Source: Traffic Info Crew on Facebook
Boy was trapped under vehicle, pronounced dead
Selangor JBPM assistant director of operations Ahmad Mukhlis Mukhtar said they were alerted to the incident at about 11am that morning.
It involved four vehicles — a three-tonne lorry, a Nissan X-Trail four-wheel drive belonging to the Public Works Department, a Honda City, and a Proton X70.
A team of six from the Bangi Fire and Rescue Station was dispatched to the location, where they found the boy trapped under the four-wheel drive.
Source: Traffic Info Crew on Facebook
Rescue personnel extricated him at 11.30am, but he was pronounced dead.
Eight other people injured, including Public Works Dept staff
A man was also trapped under the same vehicle and was rescued and sent to the hospital.
Source: Traffic Info Crew on Facebook
Seven others suffered injuries and were also taken to the hospital before firefighters arrived.
In a Facebook post that afternoon, the Public Works Department confirmed that two of its employees were involved in the accident.
They were carrying out maintenance work when the lorry crashed into their vehicle from behind, it said.
Lorry experienced brake failure, driver arrested
In an update on the case on Saturday night, Kajang police chief Naazron Abdul Yusof said the lorry was travelling from Semenyih to Putrajaya when its brakes failed.
He was quoted by The New Straits Times as saying that its driver subsequently lost control and ploughed into the cars that were in lanes eight and nine of the toll plaza.
Source: Traffic Info Crew on Facebook
The lorry driver, a 42-year-old man, has been arrested. Tests on his urine were negative for drugs, and he also tested negative for alcohol.
However, he has a criminal record of two offences, one of which is drug-related. He also has four traffic summonses, Assistant Commissioner Naazron said.
The incident is being investigated under reckless or dangerous driving causing death, an offence that carries up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to RM50,000 (S$15,300) and a minimum driving ban of five years.
The driver is being detained while assisting with investigations.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Traffic Info Crew on Facebook.
