KUALA LUMPUR: A taxi driver said he was “dazed and afraid” after being hit by a reversing fire engine which caused his vehicle to spin 180° during the height of the Seafield Seri Mahariamman temple fracas on Nov 27 last year.
“I was in my car for about 20 minutes and then some members of the public helped me as my car door was damaged and I couldn’t get out,“ K. Arumugam, 66, said at the inquest into the death of fireman Mohd Adib Mohd Kassim today.
“I felt dizzy after getting out of the car. The fire engine and the van had left the scene then. I got back in the car and stayed there for another 30 minutes to calm myself.”
DPP Zhafran Rahim Hamzah asked Arumugam whether he saw rioters attacking the fire engine. “I didn’t see anything, I was just shocked and frightened,“ Arumugam replied.
Earlier, the 11th witness in the inquest couldn’t attend the coroners’ court, causing the inquest to only begin at 2.30pm. The inquest was scheduled to start at 10am.
DPP Hamdan Hamzah said that Nassaruddin Abdullah, 23, a technician had to deal with a family emergency.
“The witness can’t attend because his father met with an accident this morning and he is attending to him,“ he told the court.
Coroner Rofiah Mohamad adjourned the hearing after Hamdan informed the court of the matter.
Adib was hospitalised for three weeks, and despite regaining consciousness and showing signs of recovery, he died on Dec 17 due to lung failure.
