Sabah Railway to extend aid to family of crossing accident victims

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 20 — The Sabah Railway Department said it will assist the family of a 41-year-old mother who was killed in a crossing accident that also left her 11-year old son with severe injuries.

In a statement today, the department’s corporate management unit expressed condolences and sympathy to the family involved in the accident yesterday that has shocked Sabahans.

“The department is also taking initiatives to alleviate the burden on the victims and their families affected by the accident,” it said.

It also clarified that the train driver had followed all set procedures prior to the incident.

The train from Beaufort had left the Putatan station at 12.55pm and had been approaching the closed railway crossing near Sekolah Kebangsaan Petagas.

“The locomotive’s driver on duty sounded the horn as usual. From about 150m away, the driver saw two people trying to cross the railway tracks and immediately applied the brakes.

“Both people did not react immediately,” the department said.

The train stopped service to facilitate investigations and the accident, before continuing its journey at around 2.40pm with some 90 passengers onboard.

The driver of the train also lodged a report with the police over the incident.

Earlier, Sabah Railway Department director Mohammad Safri Abdul Habi said that they were activating a Board of Inquiry to investigate the accident.

The department also installed a fence along the tracks near the village and will make continual improvements.

A 41-year-old woman died from her injuries while her son sustained severe injuries, including a severed foot, as they were attempting to cross the railway track after school in Kampung Petagas to return home to Kampung Muhibbah.

The train, travelling from Beaufort district to Tanjung Aru station, runs along several villages in the Putatan district, with several designated crossings.

Police have urged the public to stop using shortcuts to cross the railway.