PAPAR: A malfunctioning level crossing barrier is believed to be the cause of a collision between a train and a car in an incident on Kilometer 21.5, Jalan Perumahan Kampung Anak Kinarut, here, yesterday.
A 42-year-old male driver sustained minor injuries and a cut on his head, while the three passengers were uninjured in the 6.08pm incident.
District police chief deputy superintendent Kamaruddin Ambo Sakka said preliminary investigations found that the train was traveling from Sembulan Railway Station to Beaufort.
Upon arriving at the scene, the train driver spotted a car that had entered and suddenly stopped on the railway tracks.
The train driver then sounded the horn signal while approaching the gate and attempted to apply the brakes but failed, resulting in a collision with the vehicle.
"The train driver is believed to have only realised the presence of the car at a distance of 20 meters, making the collision unavoidable.
"There were four men in the car, and all of them managed to exit the vehicle before the collision occurred," he said when contacted today.
According to Kamaruddin, when the car driver crossed the railway tracks, the vehicle's engine suddenly stalled, rendering the vehicle immobile.
Kamaruddin added that the car driver claimed to be unaware of the oncoming train because the level crossing barrier was not lowered.
An investigation at the scene found the presence of barriers. However, both barriers were not functioning, resulting in the level crossing not being closed, he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 337 of the Penal Code. The level crossing attendant has been detained for questioning.
"The public is advised to report to the police if they have any information regarding this case. They can contact the investigating officer of the Crime Investigation Division at the Papar District Police Headquarters, Inspector Wong Yew Zhung, at 010-5635169.
Earlier, a 37-second video went viral on Facebook and WhatsApp, showing the moment the car was hit by the train.