Nine people die in road accidents in West Java

Nana Rukmana and Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon/Bogor

Nine people were killed in separate accidents in West Java province on Tuesday and Wednesday as the Idul Fitri holiday draws nearer.

The latest accident happened on Wednesday evening when a Toyota Kijang van struck the overpass' crash barrier on the Jl. Kalipanci toll road, some 10 kilometers west of Cirebon city.

Five people, including the driver, died instantly after the crash, while four people were badly injured.

The nine people were on their way home for Idul Fitri to Purbalingga regency, Central Java, from Ogan Komering Ulu regency in South Sumatra province.

Muhidin, an employee with state toll road operator PT Jasa Marga, said that the accident was probably due to driver fatigue.

Two out of the five people killed were children, namely, Mevi, 3, and Windi, 5. The four injured people were rushed to hospital for medical treatment.

Earlier on Tuesday night, four people died and 17 others were injured when a Toyota pickup truck overturned on Jl. Raya Cibadak in Sukabumi regency, West Java province. The police said the accident was due to a brake failure.

The accident happened as the truck was traveling east to Sukabumi from Bogor. It was carrying 21 people home for the Idul Fitri holiday.

The driver lost control of the vehicle as it entered a three- way intersection in Bangkong Reang hamlet in Sukabumi. The truck overturned, throwing passengers from the vehicle, said Second. Brig. Dwi of the Cicurug Police. Another truck traveling in the opposite direction was unable to stop in time and hit some of the passengers who had been thrown onto the street.

Four of the passengers died at the scene while 17 others, including the truck's driver, were hospitalized. All of the passengers were construction workers from Sukabumi regency.