[Dweplyododo]

Thursday September 16, 2010

Four killed in highway crash

By SYLVIA LOOI
sylvia@thestar.com.my

BEHRANG: A trailer driver watched helplessly after a car crashed into the back of his stalled vehicle and exploded with four people inside. T. Ramatha, 37, said his trailer had broken down at 394th kilometre of the North-South Expressway (NSE) near here at 8.20am yesterday.

“After placing the highway warning signs to alert traffic, I went to contact PLUS Expressways Bhd for help. Before I knew it, I heard a loud crash and when I turned to check, I saw a wrecked Proton Saga,” he said when met at the scene. Ramatha said he quickly called the Fire and Rescue Department and an ambulance.



Deaths on the highway: The scene of the accident on the North-South Expressway near Behrang Wednesday where four people were killed.

“But before help could arrive, the car exploded within 10 minutes,” he added. Asked why he did not help the victims, he said they were all trapped inside. “There was nothing much I could do,” he said.

The deceased have been identified as Mohd Hasnizam Abd Wahab, 20, driver Azri Ismail, 27, and his wife Sujita Abu Bakar, 25. The other body was that of a toddler believed to be the couple’s child. Police are still trying to identify the baby. Their remains were sent to the Kuala Kubu Baru Hospital.



The deceased: Azri and Sujita

In another accident, the body of a BMW driver was mutilated after being run over during a mishap at 346th kilometre of the expressway yesterday. A Tapah police spokesman said the car driver was believed to have lost control and hit the divider before crashing over to the opposite side of the highway.

“The impact caused the driver to be flung onto the road and his body was run over by other vehicles,” said the spokesman, adding that the car caught fire during the incident. He said police have yet to identify the dead motorist. Those with information should contact investigating officer Insp Khairul Azwan Kamarudin at 019-4000444 or 05-4011222.