IPOH: The crash at Kilometre 53 of the East-West Highway in Gerik, which claimed 15 lives early yesterday morning, marked a dark moment in the 18-year career of Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) officer, Muhammad Yusuf Nuruddin.
Initially unaware of the severity of the tragedy, involving a chartered bus and a Perodua Alza, near Tasik Banding, the APM officer, from Hulu Perak, believed it was just a routine accident without any casualties.
When he and three other personnel of Hulu Perak APM - Mohd Zamri Taib, 47, Muhammad Isma Aliff Mohd Asri, 24, and Muhammad Mainun Azim Azman, 28 - were informed that the crash had resulted in 15 fatalities, they were momentarily stunned.
“I recall bus-related incidents before - one overturned and another veered off the road, but none involved any fatalities. This time, it was different, and it’s something I will never forget.
“I didn’t even get to see the condition of the deceased victims because my priority was to provide immediate aid. We handed over the deceased to the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) and the Ministry of Health (MOH),” he told Bernama, still visibly affected by the incident.
Asked to elaborate, Muhammad Yusuf, 38, said that the APM team arrived at the crash site about an hour after receiving the emergency call.
Upon arrival, the JBPM and MOH teams were already on-site conducting rescue operations. The area was pitch-black, forcing rescuers to rely on vehicle headlights for visibility. In the dim light, they noticed several injured victims sitting by the roadside.
“At that time, the atmosphere was eerily quiet and completely dark. There were no sounds from the victims. Only the rescuers’ voices giving instructions could be heard. Perhaps the victims were still in shock,” he said.
During the rescue operation, Muhammad Yusuf and his team worked fast to provide initial aid to the victims, including those with serious injuries like broken limbs or internal bleeding.
He remembered seeing a victim with a serious head injury. An initial assessment revealed no visible fractures, so rescuers provided immediate treatment before transporting the victim to hospital.
“Then we transported another victim with a broken arm to the Gerik Hospital, while ambulances from MOH and JBPM ferried others.
“During the journey to the hospital, one victim suffered internal bleeding and vomited blood twice. We suctioned the blood to prevent suffocation and ensure it did not obstruct the victim’s breathing,” he said.
In addition to the 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris students who lost their lives, the accident also resulted in injuries to 33 other individuals, including the bus driver, his assistant, and three passengers from a Perodua Alza.
