Trailer truck driver detained after crash leaves ambulance driver, nurse badly hurt

KUCHING (Sept 9): Police have detained the driver of a trailer truck following an accident early today at Jalan Memaloi, Betong that left two Ministry of Health (MoH) staff seriously injured.

Sri Aman police chief DSP Mathew Manggie said the accident happened around 4am when an ambulance carrying the two staff crashed into the rear of the parked trailer truck.

“Police received a report on the accident report at around 6am. Initial information indicated that the accident involved a trailer that had broken down by the roadside, with the hazard lights turned on and a warning triangle placed less than 50 metres behind the vehicle.

“The right rear side of the vehicle was suddenly hit by a Betong Hospital ambulance, which was on its way back after transporting a patient to Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching,” he said in a statement.

Mathew said the 45-year-old male ambulance driver suffered internal injuries, while the 42-year-old female nurse sustained facial fractures, a broken left arm, and a broken left leg.

The 54-year-old trailer driver was not injured.

The case, he said, will be investigated under Section 43(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

Earlier, the Fire and Rescue Department in a statement said it received a call on the accident at 4.24am and rushed a team to the location.

It said the ambulance driver and nurse were rescued by members of the public, with the former sent to Sri Aman Hospital and the latter to Betong Hospital.