Six killed in a chain collision in Cirebon
Six killed in a chain collision in Cirebon
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon
At least six people were killed and three others severely injured
when a cargo truck hit an intercity bus and an Opel Blazer van in
the village of Bendungan, Astanajapura district, some 15
kilometers from Cirebon, West Java, on Monday night.
Five of the casualties were passengers of the Blazer van and
the other fatality was a bus passenger.
Cirebon Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Siswandi said three of the
casualties died instantly in the accident. They were Heri
Yuliawan, 36, the driver of the Blazer van, his wife Herlina, 39,
and their ten-year-old son Calvin. They were residents of the
village of Purwoyoso, Ngaliyan district, in Semarang, Central
Java. Two other casualties Rumsiah, 16, and Taryuni, 22, worked
as domestic helpers for the family.
Bus passenger M. Dayat, 31, was also killed in the accident.
The three other bus passengers who were seriously wounded are
Purwanto, 51, Saepudin, 30, and Suharno, 38.
Chief of Astanajapura Police Insp. Ivan Prawira Satyapura
disclosed on Tuesday the collision occurred when an intercity bus
PO Santoso driven by Gatot Subroto, 46, was trying to overtake
the truck.
Unfortunately, the bus hit the back of the truck on the right
side, causing the truck to swerve and plunge into a rice field
while the intercity bus drove into the opposite lane. The Opel
Blazer which was driving behind the truck lost control and
skidded into the opposite lane.
The bus and the van were both hit by a cargo truck coming in
the opposite direction, which was driven by Solikul Hadi, 36.
"The collision killed all passengers of the Blazer van," the
police chief added.
Traffic policeman Brig. Made said the accident caused traffic
congestion along the road for several hours.
The traffic jam worsened when officials evacuated the
casualties.
Made said that the accident was being investigated by local
police. "Police have questioned some witnesses and the drivers of
both trucks and the intercity bus," he added.
Traffic accidents are common in the north coastal area of
Cirebon, especially during the Idul Fitri holiday.
Fifteen people were killed in traffic accidents in just three
days early this month. All of them were on holidays.
Dewi Sri bus line carrying holidaymakers from Jakarta and a
truck carrying logs collided head-on in the Gintung Lor
subdistrict section of the Palimanan-Jatibarang highway, 26
kilometers east of Cirebon in West Java on Dec. 1, killing the
drivers and assistants of both vehicles.
The four who died instantly in the accident were the bus
driver Yogi, 35, and his assistant, and the truck driver Kasim,
40, and his assistant Kusno, 40.
Three motorcyclists were killed in traffic accidents on the
way to their respective hometowns early in December.