Ten injured after train crashes into van

JAKARTA (JP): An express train crashed into a recklessly driven mikrolet public minivan at a level crossing in Kalibata, South Jakarta, on Friday morning, injuring at least 10 people, three of them critically.

Nine of the 10 injured people were passengers of the M16 minivan plying the Kampung Melayu-Pasar Minggu route, while the other casualty was a motorcyclist.

The minivan driver reportedly fled the scene after the 6:45 a.m. accident.

Handoko Rekso, a local ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver, said the collision happened when the minivan tried to follow a minibus, which managed to make its way across the closed crossing by maneuvering around the closed crossing gates soon after the Bogor-Jakarta train Pakuan passed the crossing.

"The minivan driver apparently did not realize that another train was coming from the other direction on the double railway tracks," Handoko said.

The speeding Jakarta-Sukabumi Mojo train reportedly hit the rear of the van, which had nearly reached the other side of the crossing, he said.

The minivan then smashed into a speeding motorcycle before it came to a complete stop.

Handoko said the minivan driver was wounded in the accident, but he hurriedly left the scene and told onlookers, who were busy helping the minivan passengers, that he would go to the nearest police station to report the accident.

"We didn't care about the driver at the time as we were in a panic helping the victims, who screamed and cried for help," Handoko said.

He said the driver was lucky to escape the scene because "if he was still there, people would mob him first before taking him to the police."

"The accident was obviously his fault," another ojek driver said.

Seven of the injured were rushed to private Budhi Asih Hospital on Jl. Dewi Sartika for treatment, while the other three were transferred to the Indonesian Christian University (UKI) Hospital on Jl. M.T. Haryono due to their critical condition.

The seven victims admitted into Budhi Asih Hospital were identified as May Pridani, Atmi, Fatimah, Jubaidah, Juwarni, Peristiwa Wahono and Maryani, who is being treated in the intensive care unit.

The three others are Andre Lesmana, Abdul Rohim and motorcyclist Royani.

Meanwhile in East Jakarta, a policeman was hit by a speeding bus and died instantly after he failed to control his motorcycle and smashed into the bus on busy Jl. Raya Bogor late Thursday.

The victim was identified as 25-year-old Sgt. Second Class Didik Widaryanto, who was a member of National Police mobile brigade.

Jakarta Police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis said the officer, who was in uniform, was on his way home from his office.

"Witnesses told the police that Didik's motorcycle was zigzagging along the road and Didik apparently could not control it," Lubis said.

The motorcycle then hit the median strip before crashing into the speeding bus, which was traveling in the opposite direction, he said.

The driver of the bus, identified as 35-year-old Edi Purwadi, told the police he did not see the motorcycle because the policeman did not have his headlight on. Moreover, the incident happened so fast that did not realized what had happened until passengers told him to stop, Lubis said. He realized only then that the motorcycle was under his bus.

Lubis explained that the driver of the Dedi Jaya bus plying the Depok-Kampung Rambutan route was being detained by the police. (emf)