SANDAKAN: A series of incidents over the weekend, including two separate road accidents and two fires, resulted in the deaths of a young mother and her child, while other cases saw no casualties.
In a fatal crash at Batu 23, Jalan Labuk in Sandakan at 4.00 pm on Saturday (March 21), a 28-year-old woman and her seven-year-old daughter lost their lives. Initial police investigations revealed that the motorcycle they were riding with a male family member was attempting to overtake another vehicle by entering the opposite lane when it collided head-on with a Proton Wira.
The seven-year-old died at the scene, while her mother succumbed to injuries at Duchess of Kent Hospital. The motorcyclist and the car driver were also injured. The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, Sandakan OCPD ACP George Abd Rakman said.
In a separate road incident in Kinabatangan on Sunday (March 22), an express bus skidded off the road while trying to avoid a motorcycle that suddenly emerged from a side road.
The bus was traveling from Kota Kinabalu to Semporna when the incident occurred around 11.40 am along Jalan Kampung Paris 2, Jalan Sandakan–Lahad Datu.
Kinabatangan OCPD Supt Ravi Duraisamy stated that the bus driver attempted to swerve left but lost control, causing the vehicle to veer into a grassy area. The bus was carrying 39 passengers, all of whom, including the driver, were reported safe with no injuries. The case is being investigated under Traffic Regulation 10 LN166/59.
Meanwhile, Sandakan firefighters responded to two blazes over the weekend with no reported injuries.
On Sunday (March 22), a wooden house at Kampung Nelayan Tengah in Mile 10 was completely destroyed in a fire. The Fire and Rescue Department received the alert at 4.46 pm and controlled the blaze by 5.41 pm. No casualties were reported.
Earlier on Saturday (March 21), a fire broke out at the Sawit Kinabalu Jetty Sdn Bhd in Jalan Ulu Batu Sapi, destroying an 800-foot-long conveyor belt. Firefighters responded to the 5.09 pm call and fully extinguished the fire by 10.15 pm. No injuries were reported. – James Leong
The fire at Kampung Nelayan Tengah, Mile 10 Sandakan on Sunday.
