8 killed in massive accident at toll gate near Jakarta

BOGOR, Indonesia - Eight people were killed and at least 11 others injured in a devastating crash that took place at the Ciawi toll gate in Bogor Regency, West Java, just before midnight on Feb 4.

Bogor police chief Senior Commissioner Eko Prasetyo said the accident happened when a truck carrying jugs of drinking water, reportedly en route to Jakarta, lost control at the toll gate.

The truck collided with several vehicles waiting to pay the toll, damaging six vehicles, three of which caught fire.

The crash also damaged three toll booths at the site.

“It is believed that the truck experienced a brake failure, causing it to crash into a line of vehicles waiting to pay at the toll gate. All the fatalities were individuals inside the vehicles struck by the truck,” SC Eko said on Feb 5.

The crash victims were rushed to Ciawi General Hospital. According to the authorities, seven people had minor injuries, while four others had severe injuries from the intense impact of the crash.

Among the injured victims are four customer service officers from the state-owned toll road operator PT Jasa Marga who were working at the toll gate when the accident took place.

Five less-severely injured victims had been sent home from the hospital, the police said.

Ms Sugiarti, who lost her husband and who herself had minor injuries from the crash, said she and her family were en route to Bekasi, West Java, from their home in Sukabumi when the accident occurred.

“When we tried to enter the Ciawi toll gate, the payment machine couldn’t detect our e-money card. So, my husband got out of the car to report the issue to the toll operator,” the 48-year-old told The Jakarta Post.

“My husband then decided to try borrowing the e-money card of a car behind us. That’s when the truck crashed into us,” she added.

Ms Sugiarti said her husband was swept away by the truck while her car, which contained her two young sons – aged three and five – as well as three relatives, was flipped upside down.

Ms Sugiarti’s husband, 41-year-old Yana Mulyana, later died of his injuries.

The Ciawi toll gate was temporarily closed following the accident, although it had partially reopened as at Feb 5.

The Transportation Ministry extended its condolences to the families of the victims through an official statement. A team has been dispatched to the location to investigate the cause of the accident.

The ministry also reminded toll road users to be mindful of their safety and follow traffic regulations.

“Drivers must ensure their vehicles are in a proper condition before going on the road,” said acting land transportation director-general Ahmad Yani in the statement.

Mr Ahmad said the ministry would conduct thorough safety inspections and provide safety management training for drinking water companies and logistics operators.

The ministry will also educate them on implementing safety management practices related to transporting drinking water.

“We will also continue to train truck drivers, focusing on proper driving techniques and the correct procedures for checking brakes before setting out,” Mr Ahmad added.

The accident on Feb 4 occurred less than a month after a tour bus carrying students from a vocational high school in Bali experienced a brake failure and crashed into oncoming traffic in Batu, East Java.

According to the authorities, the bus travelled along Jalan Imam Bonjol for around 2km, hitting at least 17 vehicles and finally coming to a stop after hitting a tree.

The accident injured 10 people and killed four others, including a one-year-old child and her mother. THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK