TAWAU: A 21-year-old local woman was killed and her passenger sustained minor injuries after the car they were travelling in crashed into a tree along Jalan Utara here early Tuesday, while a separate early-morning fire in Lahad Datu destroyed a wooden workshop.
Tawau District Police Chief ACP Rosdi Mat Jusoh said preliminary investigations found that the car was travelling from Jalan Utara towards Tawau Hospital when the crash occurred at about 2am.
He said the driver is believed to have lost control of the vehicle while passing the old airport roundabout, causing it to veer to the right, cross the road divider and crash into a tree.
The woman suffered head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel from Tawau Hospital at about 2.46am.
The male passenger, a 20-year-old foreigner, sustained minor injuries, including a cut to his forehead.
Rosdi said the case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
Police are continuing their investigations to determine the exact cause of the crash, including identifying independent witnesses and recording statements from witnesses and the deceased’s next of kin.
He urged road users to comply with traffic regulations, maintain control of their vehicles, observe speed limits and prioritise safety at all times.
Anyone with information about the crash is urged to contact the traffic investigating officer, Inspector Joseph Jelian, at 016-8067272.
Meanwhile, in Lahad Datu, a wooden workshop at Kampung Layung, Jalan Tengah Nipah, was completely destroyed in a fire in the early hours of Wednesday.
The Sabah Fire and Rescue Department’s State Operations Centre and the Lahad Datu Fire and Rescue Station control room received an emergency call through NG999 at 1.14am.
Eight firefighters were despatched and arrived at the scene at 1.22am, after travelling approximately six kilometres from the Lahad Datu Fire and Rescue Station.
Operations Commander PBK II Amanshah Mohd Said said the fire involved a wooden workshop measuring 10 by 10 feet.
Firefighters used a 200-foot hose line and two water jets supplied by a fire engine to bring the blaze under control at 2.10 am. The operation concluded at 2.15am after firefighters ensured the area was free of further hazards. No casualties were reported in the fire, and the district police also assisted in the response. – James Leong
Tawau firemen work to extricate a victim from the wreckage of a crash along Jalan Utara early yesterday.
