Eight dead, 21 hurt as bus bursts into flames after crash

TAPAH: Eight people, including the driver of a tour bus, died while 21 others were injured when the vehicle burst into flames after crashing into a car at Km326.6 on the southbound lane of the North-South Expressway near here early today morning.
The bus, belonging to LBS Travel Sdn Bhd from Nibong Tebal, had earlier hit a lorry tyre lying on the fast lane of the road a few metres from the Tapah toll exit.
The driver, M. Jayagunasgaran, 39, who was flung out after the bus landed on its side, died on admission to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh.
Seven were burnt to death at the scene. All the deceased were sent to the Tapah hospital for post-mortem.
The bus carrying 31 passengers from Kuala Kurau and Kuala Gula in Perak was on a day trip to Genting Highlands.
Tapah district police chief Supt Som Sak Din Keliaw said the injured were given outpatient treatment at the Tapah hospital. "Four men and a woman sought treatment at Raja Pemaisuri Bainun hospital in Ipoh and a man and woman were treated at two private medical centres in Ipoh." he added.
A woman passenger, On Chin Hui, and a man, On Keon Chan, escaped injuries.
Police are appealing to witnesses, especially those who might have seen the tyre detaching from any vehicle, to help facilitate investigations.
Som Sak said the bus was travelling on the right lane when it hit the tyre. The driver of the car escaped unhurt but his car was destroyed in the fire.
The driver, Parvinder Singh, 35, works as a patrol unit staff whose job is to inform tow truck operators or PLUS of any incidents between the Gopeng and Tapah stretch.
"I was coming back from Gopeng after attending to a breakdown and wanted to make a U-turn from Tapah back to Gopeng when I noticed the tyre on the fast lane," he told reporters at the Tapah district police headquarters.
"I parked on the left side of the road and alighted to remove the tyre but before I could walk across, the bus hit the tyre and crashed into my car and it burst into flames.
"I am very lucky to be alive as the incident was only about a few metres from where I was standing.
"I managed to pull out four to five passengers but could not help an old man who was trapped under the bus. I could hear screams for help as fire engulfed the bus within minutes," he added.
Parvinder immediately alerted PLUS about the accident. "This is the worst accident I have seen in my four years on the job."
Meanwhile, Ong Choy Yu, 58, the husband of Sin Ah Guat, one of the dead passengers, said his wife was not supposed to be on board.
"A relative could not make the trip and my wife had to replace him," Choy Yu, a fishmonger from Kuala Kurau, said.
Mooi See, who was the tour leader, said: "The bus went out of control and all of a sudden it landed on the side. The windows broke upon impact.
"I saw some of the passengers scrambling out from the emergency exit at the rear and other passengers jumped out of the broken windows when fire broke out." she added.
'If not for the broken windows there could be many more fatalities."
Officials from government agencies were seen examining the bus at the Tapah police station.
Family members of the dead gathered at the Tapah hospital mortuary to claim the bodies of the victims.
Perak exco members Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon and Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharuddin were present to console family members of the dead.
Meanwhile, in an immediate response, the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) said in a statement it will investigate all documents relating to the management and maintenance of the bus and its driver.
"In the meantime, we will launch a thorough investigation into the incident with all the related agencies such as Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research, police and Road Transport Department while a safety audit will be conducted on the operations of the company involved in this accident," SPAD added in the statement.
A compiled list of the dead:
1. M. Jayagunasgaran, 39 (bus driver)
2. Lim Soo Lan,58 (female)
3. Aw Ah Poh, 55 (female)
4. Ong Ah Yook, 58 (female)
5. Sin Ah Guat, 53 (female)
6. Tan Ah Ba, 64 (male)
7. Tan Ah Ban @ Tan Chan Ming, 68 (male)
8. Tan Ah Baa, 63 (male)