Bus accident kills one

BOGOR: A Merdeka bus plying the Ciamis-Lebak Bulus route drove off a 10-meter slope at Sampay village, Cisarua subdistrict in Bogor on Monday afternoon.

A man, 34-year-old Supardi, was killed instantly while 39 passengers suffered injuries. Six victims were taken to PMI Bogor hospital, 18 to Cisarua hospital and 15 to Ciawi hospital.

Authorities said the cause of the accident, which occurred at 12:45 p.m., was brake failure.

The bus driver's assistant, Atun, said the bus had left Ciamis at 6 a.m. and that the driver, Samiun, usually checked the brakes before leaving.

"When the accident happened I didn't know that a car was passing the bus. I just realized that we had fallen down the slope and were in an upside-down position," he said.

The Bogor Police chief of the traffic division, Adj. Comr. Lamazi, confirmed that the bus's brakes were not working as the officers did not find any skid marks at the scene. -- JP