Ciputat crossing prone to mishaps

TANGERANG, West Java (JP): The Ciputat railway crossing where a family was killed late Sunday is vulnerable to accidents, a village head in the district said.

Dadang Syarif, the head of the Pondok Ranji subdistrict, said yesterday a man in his 70s was killed last week at the same spot as Sunday's accident which claimed five lives.

"It was last week. Earlier three buffaloes were also hit by train at the crossing," he said. The trouble spot is in the neighboring Sawah village.

"There have been several other accidents, but the latest one was the worst," Dadang said.

Security guard Suriawan, his pregnant wife, their five-year old child and two nephews, were killed when a train hit their Kijang van around 10 p.m. Sunday.

The railway crossing in between the Sudimara and Pondok Ranji train stations does not have a gate.

Yesterday, Sudimara station master Sudaryanto said drivers should heed signs which remind them to stop before crossing a railroad.

District head Wahidin Halim has often told the subdistrict head to put adequate signs at the crossing, Dadang said. "Traffic has become increasingly heavy at the site".

"We also wish to ask (the state-owned railway company) Perumka to install lights which are more visible," he said.

Perumka officials could not be contacted. (anr)