BINTULU: Three children were among four people killed in an accident involving a school bus and a lorry at KM12 of Jalan Pesisir Bintulu-Miri in Samalaju near here this morning.
It is learnt that the school bus, which was ferrying 23 children of oil palm plantation workers, smashed into the rear of the lorry before both vehicles ended up by the roadside.
The three primary school pupils, aged between nine and 11 sustained severe head and bodily injuries and died at the Bintulu Hospital here.
Two of the victims were identified as Nur Nabila Syakila, nine, and Aien Laila Aliesha, 11. The identity of the other victims could not be ascertained at press time.
The school bus driver, identified as 50-year-old Ramnelan Samat, died on the spot during the 6am mishap.
Six other pupils, who were also injured, received outpatient treatment from the same hospital.
The assistant driver and the remaining passengers of the school bus escaped with no injuries.
Bintulu district police chief Superintendent Zulkipli Suhaili when contacted confirmed the case and said an investigation is being conducted to identify the cause of the accident.
“Initial investigation showed that the two vehicles were coming from the same direction and were headed to town,” he said.
A state Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said rescuers were deployed to the scene upon receiving a distress call at 6.12am.
“According to reports from our men on the ground, the impact of the accident was so strong that one of the victims (Ramnelan) was pinned to his seat,” the spokesman said.