'Negligent' driver drove LRT in the wrong direction

'Negligent' driver drove LRT in the wrong direction - transport minister

Preliminary findings into the cause of the LRT collision in the underground tunnel between the KLCC and Kampung Baru stations last night revealed an element of "negligence" by the driver in manually controlling one of the trains, according to Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong.

Wee said findings by the Land Public Transport Agency found that the empty train 'TR240' was moving in the wrong direction and collided with 'TR181' on the same track.

"Preliminary investigations found the accident was due to negligence of the hostler (manually) driving TR240 in the wrong direction.

"TR240 was supposed to move in a south-bound direction towards Dang Wangi but had instead moved north-bound, a different orientation that led to the collision with TR181," Wee said.

The Gombak-bound TR181 from KLCC had 213 passengers while TR240 was empty with only the driver and an operator.

"This is the preliminary findings submitted to me by the Land Public Transport Agency," Wee said during an online press conference today.



He said the amount in losses sustained had yet to be estimated, pending the completion of clean-up and repair works, which are expected to take three days.

"As for now, we are unable to estimate the total losses because we are still at the stage of clearing debris and we also want to repair the track.

"It is quite a large track. So we need to carry out works to identify the damage while damages to the trains will be estimated later," he said.

Earlier today, Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana) pledged its full cooperation to the Transport Ministry's special committee formed to investigate the collision.

Prasarana in a statement said it will also extend similar cooperation to police investigations under Section 201 of the Land Transport Act 2010.

A preliminary report of the incident stated that 166 people sustained light injuries while 47 others were more seriously hurt.