PENGUNJUNG SETIA

28 Disember 2009

MAN, THREE SONS DIE IN FIERY CRASH

By Ahmad Fairuz Othman and Chong Chee Seong news@nst.com.my

MUAR: As flames were engulfing their van, Tan Yee King prayed that someone would rescue her and her toddler.
Her prayers were answered when passers-by rescued the 37-year-old mother and her 2-year-old son Ong Zhen Li.

Both of them were in the front passenger seat of their Nissan Vanette before it burst into flames.

However, Tan's husband Ong Duu Siong, 46, and the couple's three other sons who were in the back seat, were burned alive during the 10.30pm incident on Saturday.

The Ong's family van had caught fire following a head-on crash with an MPV.

The incident also involved two other vehicles at Batu 4, Jalan Parit Bunga-Tangkak near here.

Duu Siong, a church worker died on the spot from 90 per cent burns, while his sons -- Zhen Hui, 9 and Zhen Qi, 7, suffered similar burns.

Ong's other son Zhen Jie, 3, succumbed to severe burns after he was rushed to the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital in Muar.

Tan, who is being kept under close observation at the hospital suffered from internal bleeding but is on the road to recovery. Her toddler Zhen Li escaped with minor injuries.

Ledang police chief Superintendent Harun Idris described the incident as the worst on that particular stretch of road.

He said investigators were in the midst of recording statements from those involved in the crash, including Tan.

He said nine people in the other three vehicles escaped with minor injuries. Passers-by helped Tan and Zhen Li, out of the vehicle before it burst into flames.

Ong's van was the only vehicle that caught fire.

The Ong family were on the way to Tangkak from Muar because Duu Siong had church work in Tangkak.

Harun said initial investigations revealed the Toyota Innova MPV had swerved into the path of Ong's van, while trying to avoid another car which had made an abrupt turn.


It is learnt a car in front of Ong's van had attempted to make a right turn into a house by the roadside.

Harun said police have recorded statements from a 30-year-old Singaporean driver, and another 39-year-old Malaysian driver of another car.

Both men were released on police bail yesterday.

SOURCE: NEW STRAITS TIMES, 28 DECEMBER 2009

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