Inter-city train hits `bemo' killing eight people
Inter-city train hits `bemo' killing eight people
JAKARTA (JP): Police said yesterday that human error caused
Wednesday's collision between a three-wheeled bemo and an inter-
city train.
Eight people were killed and three others seriously injured in
the accident which took place at 4:30 p.m. at the Kebun Singkong
railway crossing in East Jakarta.
"The preliminary investigation revealed that the accident
resulted from the recklessness of the bemo driver," said Lt. Col.
Latief Rabar, a spokesman for City Police.
The driver, identified as Victor Manurung, 40, was among the
eight victims pronounced dead.
Latief said that Manurung drove straight through the
electronic no-crossing signal that was blaring, and that the
bamboo barrier had been lowered by the railway gate attendant.
Pulogadung police have questioned two persons, Sukadi, 50, the
railway crossing attendant, and Mustakim, 39, train trip chief at
the nearby Klender substation, over the accident.
Police said the bemo, which plies the Pasar Klender-
Kalimalang route, was traveling from Jatinegara in the direction
of Jl. I Gusti Ngurah Rai while the "Cirebon Express" had just
left the Klender substation for Kota.
"It's very gory. There were two children among the deceased,
one still clad in an elementary school uniform," recalled Mrs.
Ani, the owner of a nearby coffee shop who witnessed the
accident.
She said the collision caused such a loud noise that within a
few minutes hundreds of shocked area residents had flocked to the
scene to help officials with the rescue operation.
Tens of police and military members arrived soon afterwards
to join the rescue effort.
Aris, an itinerant cigarette vendor who operates around the
area, said he saw the train running swiftly from the Klender
station and strike the bemo which he believed had developed an
engine problem in the middle of the railway crossing.
Bang
"There was a loud bang. I then came to the scene and saw that
the vehicle had been dragged several meters by the train," Aris
said.
Police believe that Manurung might have thought that the train
was still far enough away to allow him to make the crossing
safely.
Blocks of houses line both sides of the road leading to the
railway crossing, making it impossible to judge the distance
accurately.
The dead were taken to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital for
autopsies, while the injured were sent to the nearby Persahabatan
Hospital.
The deceased were Victor Manurung, a resident of Klender
district, East Jakarta, Suningsih, 25, and his son Usin, 2, from
Cirebon, Andri, 5, who was believed to be Mrs. Konaah's son, a
resident of Pondok Bambu district, East Jakarta; Tan Liang Pong,
30, Siti Fatona, 19 and Lily Liyanti, 30, residents of Kramat
Jati district, East Jakarta.
Two of the injured, who have not yet been identified, had
failed to regain consciousness as of yesterday. (jsk)