Bid to set fire to RTD vehicle

15 injured as four cars, two lorries, two school buses and a motorcycle are involved in crash

 MANJUNG: A SPORTS utility vehicle belonging to the Road Transport Department was overturned by the public after a 10-vehicle pile-up at Km12 of Jalan  Ipoh-Lumut, in front of SMK Methodist Ayer Tawar, here, yesterday.

Some people also tried to set fire to the RTD enforcement vehicle but it was quickly doused by the Fire and Rescue Department personnel.

Manjung deputy police chief Deputy Superintendent Ahmad Mat Isa said three RTD personnel were on their way back to their office in Seri Manjung from the department's headquarters in Ipoh during the 12.20pm incident.

He said the driver of the vehicle had stopped at a traffic light in front of the school and was waiting for the red light to turn to green.

"All of a sudden, a lorry carrying oil palm rammed into the rear of the RTD vehicle.

"The impact of the collision caused several other vehicles to be involved in the subsequent crash.

"In total, four cars, two lorries, two school buses, a motorcycle and the RTD vehicle were involved in the pile-up, injuring 15 people with four of them seriously," he said here yesterday.

Ahmad said the public then stormed towards the three RTD personnel while they exited their vehicle, causing the officers to panic and flee the scene.

He said the RTD personnel managed to get a ride from a passing motorist who sent them to the district police headquarters.

Ahmad clarified that the RTD personnel were not conducting any operation at the time of the incident and refuted allegations online that the personnel had tried to stop a lorry with excessive load at that time.

Fire and Rescue Department officers dousing the RTD vehicle which was believed to have been set on fire by the public at Km12 Jalan Ipoh-Lumut, near Ayer Tawar. Pic by Idris Sulaiman.