18 injured in bus accident

JAKARTA (JP): An intercity bus plunged into a rice field along the Cikampek toll road, east of here, yesterday after one of its tires burst, injuring 18 passengers, four critically.

"Apparently the speeding 'Warga Baru' bus, which plied the Subang-Kampung Rambutan route, lost control and swung to the other side of the road before falling into the paddy field," said an officer of Jasa Marga's Cikampek Toll Road Communication Center who asked for anonymity.

Fortunately, no vehicles were in the opposite lane when the accident occurred at about 3:45 p.m., he said.

All of the injured were rushed to Karya Husada Hospital in Cikampek.

The driver, identified as Nidi Sugito, 43, escaped with minor injuries. He is undergoing questioning at the Cikopo Police Post. (edt)