Three killed instantly, man seriously injured as truck collide head-on

Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Tegal, Central Java

At least three people were killed instantly and another seriously injured when a trailer truck collided head-on with a box truck on Saturday in Central Java's northern coast area, which is notorious for traffic accidents.

The accident occurred at Pangasingan village in Kramat subdistrict, Tegal regency, while across Java island the deaths of 54 people, mostly schoolgirls, in a horrific three-vehicle pileup on Wednesday evening is still fresh in the minds of the public.

Saturday's collision killed Sumarji, from Pekunden village in Kediri regency, East Java, the 45-year old driver of the trailer truck. Irawan, 20, a passenger of the other truck, from Flamboyan in Kebun Jeruk, West Jakarta, was also killed.

The third killed was the driver of the box truck, who is yet to be identified, while his co-driver Agus Silitonga, 32, also from East Java, sustained serious injuries.

Local residents said the crash took place as the box truck with police number B-9775-ZI was driven at a high speed, west to Jakarta. A minibus ahead of the box truck suddenly stopped to pick up passengers.

"The box truck then lost control and its driver tried to take the right lane. But, at the same time, a trailer truck came from the opposite direction. A head-on collision was unavoidable," eyewitness Daryono said.

The box truck was largely destroyed in the accident and the front part of the trailer truck seriously damaged.

"Local residents who approached the scene had difficulties in lifting the bodies out of the vehicles," Daryono said.

He said that the villagers eventually managed to evacuate the bodies after more than one hour of hard endeavor.

"The dead and the injured victims were taken to the Texin Hospital in Tegal," said Rojihi, another local villager.

There were no arrests reported, although the unnamed driver of the minibus -- that stopped suddenly in front the box truck -- could be blamed for contributing to the deadly crash.

Last Wednesday, 54 people -- 49 schoolgirls, two male students, two teachers and a tour guide -- traveling on a busy highway in Situbondo regency, East Java -- were killed in a fire when a trailer truck hit their bus. The bus was also rammed from behind by a pickup.

The bus was carrying home students of the Yapemda I senior high school from a field trip on the resort island of Bali.

Police blamed human error for the grisly accident and were detaining the drivers of both the trailer truck and the bus for questioning.