Six killed in Tangerang toll road accident

JAKARTA (JP): At least six people, including a pregnant woman, were killed and more than 10 others seriously injured when their speeding bus overturned on the Kebon Jeruk-Tangerang toll road during a downpour late on Saturday afternoon.

Witnesses and toll road officers said the 5 p.m. accident occurred at kilometer 13 when the driver of the packed Primajasa white bus -- heading to Balaraja in Tangerang from Kampung Rambutan, East Jakarta -- lost control of the vehicle after attempting to overtake a car from the left.

As of last night, sources at the Tangerang General Hospital had only identified four of the dead. They were a five-year-old girl named Lintang, Samijan, 29, Apeng Sutisna Mihardja, 59, and Jackson bin Sakam, 45.

The other fatalities were the pregnant woman, believed to be in her 30s, and a male in his 20s, the hospital sources said.

The injured were rushed to the Qadr Islamic Hospital, which is about nine kilometers from the scene of the accident.

It appeared that the bus driver, who has yet to be identified, tried to avoid colliding with the other vehicle.

However, the slick road led to the bus overturning, trapping all the occupants inside.

Tangerang Police chief Lt. Col. Pudji Hartanto was not available for comment last night, but a police officer said at 7 p.m. that the rescue effort was continuing.

The accident caused heavy traffic congestion along the toll road as passing motorists slowed down to look at the bus, the police said. (emf)