‘Bridge collapsed before teens tried to cross it’
KULIM: The concrete bridge in Jalan Taman Serdang had collapsed before two boys on a motorcycle plunged into the river and got buried alive under a mound of earth.
Form Five student Muhammad Haikal Hakimi Mohd Noor and his friend Mohamad Haziq Ishak died in the tragedy on Monday night.
Curious motorists gathered at the scene yesterday to check out the collapsed 5m-long bridge, which links Serdang town and Taman Serdang.
According to Bandar Baharu OCPD Deputy Supt Baruddin Wariso, another motorcyclist who was travelling along the same road stopped at a dark spot near the bridge when he noticed something amiss at about 10pm on Monday.
“Upon reaching the section and finding the bridge missing, he stopped his motorcycle,” he said.
Muhammad Haikal and Mohamad Haziq overtook the motorcyclist and disappeared into darkness, he said.
“We believe the bridge had already collapsed when the boys got there because there was bad damage to the front of their motorcycle, believed to be caused by the impact of landing on the collapsed tar road,” he said.
DSP Baruddin said police had identified the eyewitness and would record his statement, adding that investigation was ongoing.
Muhammad Haikal’s body was recovered from the rubble at 12.15am yesterday and Mohamad Haziq’s was recovered five minutes later.
Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP Datuk Saifuddin Nasution, who visited the site following the tragedy, said the bridge was built about 20 years ago.
“The area suffered numerous floods in recent years, but it wasn’t raining when the bridge collapsed.
“It was raining upstream in Terap town not far away and a high volume of water had flowed down the river.
“We estimate that about 1,000 houses in Taman Serdang are affected by the collapsed bridge.
“They will have to use an alternative route via Jalan Kampung Setol to get to Serdang town,” Saifuddin said.