GEORGE TOWN: A man was killed when a huge Angsana tree, believed to be nearly a century-old, uprooted and crashed on his car following continuous downpour early this morning.
The deceased, Yong Geeng Huei, 53, was on his way to work at a car repair workshop when the incident occured along Jalan Perak.
The Jalan Perak Fire and Rescue Department was alerted to the incident at about 9.38am.
Operations officer A'azelan Hassan said the incident occurred about 1km from the Jalan Perak fire station, and they took about three minutes to reach the scene due to heavy traffic.
"When we arrived, we found the tree, about 2m in diametre, uprooted and lying diagonally across the road. A Proton Wira was crushed under it.
"We immediately got to work, with the help of other government agencies, to remove the branches but took some time due to its size which needed special equipment. Finally, at about 11.15am, we managed to get to the victim, who was pinned to his seat.
"Paramedics confirmed he was dead by the time he was pulled out," he said when met at the scene.
Yong's wife, brother and sister-in-law were at the scene but were too distraught to talk to pressmen.
According to the deceased's brother, he was driving alone and on his way to work at a car repair workshop when the incident occured.
Yong's body has been handed over to the police for the next course of action.
The operation was called off at 11.16am.
Several businesses nearby claimed the Angsana tree was not there previously, and had only been replanted at the current site somewhere between 2017 and 2018.
Batu Lanchang assemblyman Ong Ah Teong told the New Straits Times that he would get a Penang Island City Council (MBPP) arborist to explain what actually happened.
"This tree was replanted at its current site somewhere between 2017 and 2018. I am still getting the Landscape Department to confirm the date.
"At that time, MBPP engaged an arborist to certify that the tree was healthy before it was replanted. Now that an accident has occured, I want to ask MBPP to get the same arborist to answer and to let the public know what actually happened and how the tree uprooted," he said.