What was supposed to be a fun family outing turned to horror and tragedy when a van suddenly drove through a night market in Cameron Highlands.
The accident ended up killing a young 3 year-old girl on Sunday (30th April).
According to the New Straits Times, the van was driven by a 29 year-old man, who was attempting to drive past people in the market. The man was a trader working in the market.
At first, the driver wanted to ‘rev’ his engine to have people in the market make way for him, but he accidentally stepped on the accelerator too hard.
“The man had stepped on the accelerator hard, to produce a loud engine noise, so that the market-goers would make way for him.”
– District police chief Hasadid A. Hamid
At the same time, the young girl was standing at a stall with her family, looking at toys. The van was then seen moving at a high speed towards the stall where the girl was standing, near two women.
“The van struck the three individuals, leaving them with head injuries and broken legs. The girl died of severe head injuries.”
Shortly after the horrifying incident, the van driver was taken under police custody. In a statement the driver made to police, he said that he felt a cramp and apparently lost consciousness while driving, causing him to lose control of the van.
We hope the authorities take appropriate action in light of this tragedy and send our condolences to the young girl’s family.
Also read: 20 Malaysians Died from Road Accidents Every Day in 2016