PONTIAN: A 27-year-old lorry driver was killed while his 21-year-old assistant-driver was injured in an accident that involved six vehicles at KM45.5 Jalan Johor Baru-Batu Pahat, here.
Pontian OCPD Supt Mohammad Shofee Tayib said the incident occurred at 1.50pm Tuesday (July 18) when the vehicles were lining up at a traffic light on the road.
"A lorry driven by a 54-year-old man had suddenly crashed into the back of the lorry driven by the victim, which is the fifth vehicle in the line-up.
"The crash created a cascading effect where all the vehicles crashed into the vehicles in front of them.
"The impact, however, caused the victim, identified as Tan Zhuo Sheng, to suffer a serious injury on the chest and legs, and he was pronounced dead at the scene," he said in a statement here.
The injured assistant driver, who is also the younger brother of the deceased, Tan Zhuo Tong, was later brought to Pontian Hospital for treatment while the other drivers were unharmed, he added.
The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road and Transport Act 1987.
Meanwhile, Pekan Nenas Fire and Rescue Department operation commander Mohd Asnawi Jumaat said that the body of the victim was pinned and removed using a rescue tool before being handed over to the police.
"We have deployed six personnel on one fire truck to the location to help with the rescue operation," he said.
