Bentong toll plaza incident: Strong smell of petrol before driver, family passed out

BENTONG: Nor Wahid was driving his Proton Exora towards the Bentong toll plaza on April 24 when he started to experience blurry vision and hearing loss.

Just before losing consciousness, the 52-year-old called out to his wife, 46, who was in the passenger seat, as well as his niece, 17, and daughter, 12, who were in the back seat, but they did not respond.

He regained consciousness some time later, and was informed by Bentong Hospital staff that his family members were also receiving treatment at the same hospital. They had been found unconscious in the vehicle.

In the 2.40pm incident, the private sector employee, who wanted to be identified as only Nor Wahid, and his three family members were found unconscious after their vehicle hit a water pipe at the Bentong toll plaza on the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway

Police officers, who were conducting Op Selamat patrols, and toll booth staff members rushed to their aid. They extricated the victims with the help of members of the public.

The victims were taken to Bentong Hospital, where medical examinations revealed they had experienced oxygen deprivation.

The father-of-five said he was puzzled by the mysterious circumstances that caused him and his family to lose consciousness inside the vehicle.

Police officers, who were conducting Op Selamat patrols, and toll booth staff members rushed to their aid. They extricated the victims with the help of members of the public.- NSTP file pic
Police officers, who were conducting Op Selamat patrols, and toll booth staff members rushed to their aid. They extricated the victims with the help of members of the public.- NSTP file pic

He ruled out the possibility of a malfunctioning air-conditioner as the cause, saying that his Proton Exora remained cold throughout the journey and the system was operating as usual when he drove the vehicle from Bentong to his house in Balakong, Selangor, on April 25.

Nor Wahid said he left Kuala Terengganu about 8am on April 24 after spending the night at his brother's house.

"We left in two cars and my eldest son, Shafiq, was driving the other car. We stopped for an hour at the Perasing Rest and Service Area along East Coast Highway 2. I did not turn off the engine.

"My wife took over the wheel and we decided to stop in Gambang, but it was too congested. Although the Temerloh Rest and Service Area was packed, we decided to stop and refuel. There were no issues with the air-conditioner.

"About 3km after the Karak toll plaza, traffic was moving slowly and I realised there was a strong petrol smell inside the car. The weather was extremely hot and we had to drive slowly, so I lowered the driver's side window," he said, adding that he raised it minutes later when traffic flowed smoothly again.

Nor Wahid said as he approached the Bentong toll plaza, he noticed the petrol smell grew stronger and the traffic congestion worsened, forcing him to reduce his vehicle's speed.

"There were three cars in front of me before it was my turn to pay the toll, so I opened the window but the heat outside was unbearable. Suddenly, I felt uncomfortable and tired. I asked my wife if she could take over the wheel after we passed the toll, but she did not respond.

"She, along with my daughter and niece, appeared to be fast asleep. I assumed they were too tired. However, seconds later, I lost focus, and my vision started to blur, I lost my hearing, and I felt weak. I passed out.

"I then felt someone pressing on my chest, gently slapping my cheeks and telling me not to sleep. I was in a daze and came to after the doctors gave me oxygen at the hospital. All my family members were awake and out of danger."

He added that they were discharged about 10pm once their blood pressure was stable.

Nor Wahid said he went to the district police station to collect his vehicle and the family stayed at a hotel in Bentong.

"The vehicle's air-conditioner appeared to be fine and there were no issues. I drove the car back to Balakong the following day and, surprisingly, the petrol smell was gone.

"I have been inspecting the air-conditioner over the past few days and there have been no signs of any leak resulting from carbon monoxide poisoning. I have been driving the car around Balakong and everything appears to be normal," he said, adding that the car was about 10 years old.

Nor Wahid said he had serviced the air-conditioner and changed the compressor in December last year.

Nor Wahid said his eldest son Shafiq might have assumed a faulty air-conditioner had caused the incident and posted an immediate update on Facebook.

"He tried calling me after reaching the Gombak toll plaza before returning to Bentong after I told him about the incident. He might have checked with his mechanic friends after the incident and assumed it was caused by the air-conditioner.

"However, I am grateful to be given a second chance at life and only the front car number plate was damaged in the incident. I would like to thank the police, toll plaza workers, medical staff and members of the public who helped rescue me and my family. Only God can repay your kindness.

"I hope Proton Exora owners will not panic as there seems to be nothing wrong with the vehicle. I will ask my son to bring the car for inspection to see if there were issues with the vehicle," said Nor Wahid, who works in Kelantan while his family lives in Balakong.

District police chief Superintendent Zaiham Mohd Kahar said investigations revealed there were no elements of negligence or crime in the incident.

He said the medical officer who examined the victims confirmed that they lost consciousness due to oxygen deprivation.

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