Woman killed by train walked with son to school daily - victim's relative

Police personnel carry Lena Gabin’s remains after she was hit by a train from Putatan heading to Kota Kinabalu. — NSTP/JUWAN RIDUAN

PUTATAN: Lena Gabin, the woman who was killed by a train here today (Nov 19) would always walk with her son between his school and their home at Kampung Muhibbah, Petagas, a relative said.

Adnan Mohd Said, 47, who is a cousin of Lena's husband, said that they would always pass in front of his house and the last time he saw them was this morning (Nov 19).

He said her family learned of the accident through their family Whatsapp group at about 1.30pm before heading to the scene nearby.

He was able to identify her when he arrived at the scene he said.

"She passes my house daily and we just found out the sad news in the afternoon.

"Her youngest child is injured and was taken to hospital," he told reporters here today, adding that Lena was a housewife with four children.

Meanwhile, National Consumers Advisory Council vice president I Hashima Hasbullah Hashim, who was at the location of the incident, only realised that an accident had happened when the train suddenly stopped.

She said that she was on her way to take her child from school and saw a boy on the tracks who related that the victim was his mother.

She said the train did not sound its horn before it hit the woman and she and other passers-by tried to calm the injured boy down while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

"At first, I thought there were two children and I asked the boy, he told me it was his mother," she said.

Putatan Fire and Rescue Station chief Noorsherriyana Bohari said Lena, 41, was hit by a train from Putatan heading to Kota Kinabalu while she was crossing the tracks with her son.

"The woman was confirmed dead at the scene, while the son lost his right leg and sustained injuries to his hand and head, and was rushed to Queen Elizabeth I Hospital in Kota Kinabalu for further treatment.

"The woman's body has been handed to the police for further action," she said when contacted by reporters here today.

The department received a report on the incident at 1.58pm and arrived at the scene at 2.20pm, she said.

"The firefighters conducted a clean up at the location and helped to move the body of the victim before operations ended at 2.47pm," she said. — BERNAMA