PUTRAJAYA: Two motorcyclists were killed, seven injured while five others escaped unhurt after a sand-laden trailer rammed into 13 other vehicles at KM5.7 of Jalan Persiaran Utara heading towards Puchong here at 10.15 am on Wednesday.
Putrajaya district police chief ACP A Asmadi Abdul Aziz said the trailer hit a column of vehicles - a one-tonne lorry, seven cars and five motorcycles, including a traffic police motorcycle - that stopped on the road when the traffic police conducted a training to identify the route for the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) event.
The 25-year-old trailer driver, who was arrested, claimed he was unable to stop in time. He does not have any prior traffic offences and tested negative for drugs.
A Asmadi noted that the driver should have had enough time to stop based on closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the trailer switching from the middle to the left lane prior to hitting the vehicles.
"We don't know whether the driver was distracted or using a mobile phone. The trailer appears to be new.
"For us, he had the opportunity to stop. Other vehicles came to a halt properly when instructed by traffic officers," he told reporters at the accident site, adding that investigations would continue, especially on the trailer's technical aspects and that the driver would be remanded to facilitate further investigations.
He also urged anyone with information or evidence about the incident to assist police investigation under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
A Asmadi said the traffic police who stopped the vehicles had complied with the entire standard operating procedure set for their task.
"In terms of their compliance to the SOP, everything was done properly based on CCTV observation," he said, adding that the traffic police personnel whose motorcycle was hit had escaped unhurt.
The dead victims were identified as Pos Malaysia employee, Faris Haziq Abu Bakar, 25, and Ampang Court employee, Yuswar Mohd Uyus, 39, following confirmation by their next of kin at Putrajaya Hospital at 5.30 pm.
Meanwhile, the other victims were treated at the Putrajaya Hospital and Serdang Hospital for serious injuries and fractures. – BERNAMA