TOTAL WRECK: The badly damaged Avanza.
SARIKEI: An elderly woman was killed, three others seriously injured and eight sustained light injuries in a collision involving a lorry and two cars.
The accident occurred near SMK Sungai Paoh, about 19 km from here around 8.40am yesterday.
The 12 victims (10 related) in the Avanza and Vios were travelling from Miri to Sri Aman to visit some relatives.
The driver and attendant of the lorry, which plunged into the drain, escaped unhurt.
According to the lorry driver, the Avanza had entered his path at a bend, and the collision could not be averted despite it trying to return to its lane.
The impact of the collision caused the car to spin 180 degrees to be rammed by the Vios from behind. The Avanza’s front portion was badly damaged from the impact of the two collisions.
The Avanza’s lady driver Siti Sigan was injured and pinned to her seat while Limpa Mani, in her seventies, in the back seat, died on the spot. Another three passengers in the Avanza had light injuries.
The Vios’ driver and two passengers were seriously injured while the remaining four passengers had light injuries.
All the injured victims were rushed in ambulances to Sarikei Hospital while the elderly woman’s body was sent to the hospital mortuary.
The three seriously injured victims were referred to Sibu Hospital.
Police personnel led by District Traffic Chief, Inspector Johanis Wahab were at the scene of the accident.