What we know about the fatal tar-carrying lorry crash in Batu Pahat

SHAH ALAM – A suspected tyre blowout caused a 10-tonne lorry to lose control and overturn onto a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), killing a married couple and injuring their two children along Jalan Yong Peng-Muar in Batu Pahat, Johor, on Sunday.

The Nov 1 collision at Kilometre 8.5, near Parit Yaani, also left the lorry driver injured, while the couple's children, aged eight and 11, were taken to Hospital Sultanah Nora Ismail (HSNI) for treatment.

Here is what is known about the tragedy so far.

 How did the accident happen?

The accident is believed to have occurred at about 12.30pm when the family was travelling from Yong Peng towards Parit Sulong.

Batu Pahat district police chief Assistant Commissioner Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani said the lorry was travelling in the opposite direction when it allegedly lost control following a tyre blowout.

The heavy vehicle then skidded and overturned onto the MPV, crushing it and trapping the driver and front passenger.

In a statement, Shahrulanuar said the couple suffered severe injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene.

Mohd Hardi Mohd Husin, 46, sustained serious injuries to his head and both hands, as well as burns to several parts of his body.

His wife, Tengku Syafirana Tengku Abdullah, 44, suffered severe head and internal injuries, in addition to burns.

Their 11-year-old daughter sustained cuts and burns, while their eight-year-old son suffered head injuries, cuts and burns to his legs.

The 30-year-old lorry driver was also injured, according to a Bernama report citing the police and fire and rescue authorities.

 How did emergency teams respond?

The Yong Peng Fire and Rescue Station received an emergency call at 12.24pm and dispatched six firefighters in a Fire Rescue Tender to the scene.

Operations commander Senior Fire Officer I Mohamad Alif Halim said the team arrived at about 12.34pm and found the couple trapped inside the MPV.

Firefighters used specialised rescue equipment to extricate the couple before handing them over to the relevant authorities.

The two children and the injured lorry driver received initial treatment before being handed over to Health Ministry personnel.

The operation ended at 2.12pm, according to The Star's report on the rescue operation.

 What happened to the couple's children after the crash?

Both children survived the accident but sustained injuries and were taken to HSNI for treatment.

They were later brought from their hospital ward to the Forensic Medicine Department in wheelchairs, accompanied by two nurses, to see their parents one last time.

The 11-year-old girl was seen crying and kissing her parents' bodies several times before her younger brother also kissed them.

The couple's bodies were later taken to their family home in Kampung Parit Maimon, Parit Sulong, for funeral prayers attended by more than 200 relatives, friends and villagers.

They were buried together in one grave at the Kampung Parit Maimon Muslim Cemetery at 11.45pm on Sunday.

In a separate report, the couple's younger brother, Muhamad Ihsan, 30, said he struggled to tell the children that both their parents had died.

“I found it difficult to tell them because it was not just one, but both of their parents who had died. They are still young,” he was quoted as saying by Sinar Harian.

He said the children cried after learning about the tragedy and that he tried to comfort them.

Ihsan also said he was prepared to take responsibility for raising both children.

 What is the police investigating?

Police are investigating the case under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which deals with causing death by reckless or dangerous driving.

Shahrulanuar has urged members of the public and anyone who witnessed the accident to contact the police or visit the nearest police station to assist with the investigation.

Under the amended provision, a person convicted of the offence faces imprisonment of between five and 10 years and a fine of between RM20,000 and RM50,000.

A conviction also carries a driving disqualification of at least five years.

For a second or subsequent conviction, the punishment increases to imprisonment of between 10 and 15 years, a fine of between RM50,000 and RM100,000, and a driving disqualification of 10 years.