Several teachers from Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Pangi faced a terrifying moment on Tuesday morning when the train they were travelling on reportedly experienced brake failure and collided with a motorised trolley at Batu 11 on the Tenom-Pangi route.
The incident occurred around 8am, and while all passengers were unharmed, a 58-year-old man sustained minor injuries while trying to escape the trolley.
Tenom District Police Chief, Superintendent Azmir Abd Razak, said the train was en route from Tenom to Kampung Pangi carrying passengers. “Due to flooding and landslides along the Tenom-Pangi tracks, the train could only operate up to Batu 11. Residents had to use alternative transport, including motorised trolleys or walking, to continue their journey,” he explained.
Azmir added that several trolleys were placed on the tracks to meet arriving passengers when the train suddenly lost control. “The brakes failed, and the train hit the trolley, causing it to derail and collide with four more trolleys. The man on the trolley jumped to safety and suffered only minor injuries,” he said.
Melalap assemblyman Datuk Jamawi Jaafar expressed concern over the incident, praising villagers’ quick thinking that helped prevent a more serious accident. He urged the Sabah Railway Department to conduct a full investigation and implement safety measures to avoid similar occurrences.
Jamawi also called on the Public Works Department (JKR) to expedite the Tenom-Pangi road project, approved earlier this year by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, noting that a contractor has already been appointed.
