TAWAU: Two major incidents struck Tawau within a span of 24 hours, a fatal road accident that claimed the life of an aviation official at Jalan Apas, and a massive pre-dawn fire that gutted dozens of stalls at the Tawau Market in Kampung Titingan.
A 55-year-old local man, identified as an air traffic officer with the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) Tawau, was killed in a road accident involving his motorcycle and a car at Mile 3 Jalan Apas, at about 6.00 pm Aug 26.
The motorcyclist sustained severe head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel from the Tawau Hospital ambulance service.
OCPD ACP Rosdi Mat Jusoh, disclosed that preliminary investigations indicate both vehicles were traveling in the same direction. The car, driven by a 28-year-old local man, was heading from Kampung Titingan towards Batu Payung, while the victim was riding his motorcycle from Tawau town towards Taman Millenium.
As the car approached the traffic lights at Batu 3, the signal turned from red to green, and the driver proceeded slowly. At that moment, the motorcycle was alongside the car when it is believed to have suddenly lost balance.
“Initial inspections revealed that the right lane had been newly paved and sat at a significantly higher elevation compared to the unpaved left lane. This uneven surface is believed to have caused the victim to lose control and fall directly into the path of the car. The driver was unable to brake in time, resulting in the victim and his motorcycle being trapped underneath the front portion of the vehicle,” explained Rosdi.
The car driver escaped the incident unscathed. The victim’s remains were sent to Tawau Hospital, with a post-mortem examination scheduled for Aug 27 at 9.00 am at the hospital’s Forensic Department.
The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. Members of the public with information regarding the incident are urged to come forward and assist with the probe by contacting the investigating officer, Inspector Joseph Jelian, at 016-806-7272, or the nearest police station.
In a separate incident, a massive fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday, completely destroying nearly 70 wooden stalls selling second-hand (“bundle”) clothing at the market in Kampung Titingan.
The Fire and Rescue Department’s operations centre received an emergency call at 4.44 am. Fire engines from the Tawau Fire and Rescue Station (BBP Tawau) arrived at the scene, located almost 3 kilometres away, seven minutes later at 4.51 am.
Operations Commander, PBK I Mohd Yahya Abd Fatah, reported that the blaze engulfed the makeshift stalls, which covered an estimated area of 100 by 120 square metres, destroying 100% of the structure.
A total of 16 personnel from BBP Tawau and 10 Community Firefighters were deployed to combat the inferno. Firefighting efforts employed two hose lines extending 700 feet with six water jets, drawing supply from both the fire engines and a nearby hydrant. The fire was brought under control by 5.23 am and fully extinguished by 7.42 am.
No casualties were reported in the incident. In a remarkable effort, firefighters successfully prevented the blaze from spreading, saving approximately 350 houses and shop lots in the surrounding vicinity.
Other agencies that provided critical support included the district police and the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM). The operation was officially concluded after authorities confirmed that no further hazards remained at the scene. – James Leong
Tawau firefighters battling the massive fire at the market in Kampung Titingan early Thursday.
