KUALA LUMPUR: The three commuters who were critically-injured in the Rapid Rail's Kelana Jaya light rail transit (LRT) line train collision on May 24 are now being placed under observation at Kuala Lumpur Hospital's (HKL) neurosurgery ward.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the victims, who were previously treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), had shown positive development.
"We are relieved that they had received intensive care by the medical specialists there," he said during a virtual press conference to announce the report on the probe conducted by the task force investigation committee on the case of the collision.
Out of the 213 passengers involved in the accident, 64 were rushed to Kuala Lumpur Hospital on the night of the incident.
A total of 47 passengers sustained serious injuries in the collision.
On May 31, the family of one of the three ICU patients who suffered brain haemorrhage due to the incident, filed a RM1.8 million claims in damages against the LRT operator.
Wee said the victims could file claims and the case has been taken to court.
"Prasarana (Malaysia Bhd as Rapid Rail's parent company) will be held accountable as it is covered by the insurance," he said.
A day after the incident, Wee had said that the collision occurred when an empty train — identified as TR40 — had initially moved south via the Automated Train Operation (ATO) system, heading from Gombak to the Subang depot at 8.21pm.
However, TR40 then experienced technical problems and had stopped while approaching the Kampung Baru LRT station.
TR40 failed to operate automatically as the Vehicle On-Board Controller (VOBC) had stopped functioning.
The Operations Control Centre identified the location of TR40 and a hostler was ordered to manually drive the train from Kampung Baru LRT station to Dang Wangi LRT station to make way for other trains being driven automatically southbound.
At that time, another train with 213 passengers, identified as TR81, which was static at the KLCC LRT station, began moving southbound at 8.24pm, heading towards the Kampung Baru LRT station after receiving a signal that TR40 (which was ahead of it) had left its position.
It was reported that TR40 had moved northbound, instead of southbound, and this resulted in TR40 colliding head-on with TR81 at 8.33pm.
All trains in the Kelana Jaya LRT line are fully automatic, meaning they do not use drivers during normal operations.