Falling boulder kills car driver in Tenom
KOTA KINABALU: A boulder fell on the roof of a car near a hill in Tenom district on Wednesday, killing the driver.
Ho Ka Cheong, 65, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sabah Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Hamsa Isnurdini said the accident happened at Kuala Tomani in Mansaam, Tenom.
He said witnesses saw a huge rock fall from the hilltop and land on the car.
After receiving a distress call at 12.27pm, a rescue team was despatched but could not reach the scene as the incident happened on a dirt road.
After a 45km drive, the team had to travel a further 10km in a construction worker’s fourwheel drive to the location of the wrecked car, he said.
Tenom fire station chief Mohd Zainal Sinsian said a road was being constructed in the area leading to a large hydroelectric plant project.
“Medical officials at the scene pronounced the victim dead after his body was extricated from the crushed vehicle,” he said.
Ho’s body was handed over to police for further action. The operations ended at 3.22pm, he added.
Meanwhile, a plantation worker was impaled on an oil palm loading spike at an estate in Sandakan.
The 21-year-old victim was believed collecting oil palm fruit bunches when the incident happened at about 10am on Wednesday.
He was then rushed to the Duchess of Kent Hospital.
Sandakan Fire and Rescue Department chief Severinus Nidzam Sainkui said they were informed of the man’s condition at 10.35am.
A team was assigned to help cut away most of the spikes so that hospital staff could remove them and treat him.
“We sawed through the spikes with a grinder before medical staff treated him,” Severinus said.