One killed in Kota Kinabalu train-car mishap

One of three tourists from Hong Kong, who were injured when their vehicle was hit by a train near the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) Terminal 1 at Jalan Lintas in Petagas at 5.35pm yesterday, has succumbed to injuries.     

Kota Kinabalu police chief ACP Jauteh Dikun said a man in his 50s, the driver of the ill-fated car, died while receiving treatment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Two others, both women, who were injured in the accident are still receiving treatment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital while the fourth passenger in the car escaped without injuries.

The visitors, all family members were believed to be on their way to KKIA to catch a flight last night, while the train was travelling from Kota Kinabalu to Beaufort.

State Fire and Rescue Department public relations officer Mohd Affendi K Ramin said a truck with 12 personnel was dispatched to the scene upon receiving a distress call at 5.45pm. 

“They were forced to remove the door of the vehicle to extricate one of the victims who was trapped,” he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister and Infrastructure Development Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who visited the scene, has directed the relevant authorities to put up a bigger signage and a fence that could be operated manually, to force the vehicles to halt at the crossing concerned. 

“According to a report by the train driver, he had used the emergency brake to avoid hitting the vehicle but the train could not stop in time to avoid the accident. Other vehicles except the victims’ car had stopped when the railway guard gave a hand signal to do so,” said Pairin.  

- Bernama