ALS Bus and Fuel Tank Truck Collision in Muratara, Allegedly Avoids a Potholed Road

MURATARA - A fatal accident occurred on the Sumatra Cross Road (Jalinsum), North Musi Rawas Regency (Muratara), South Sumatra, Wednesday, May 6 around 13.00 WIB. The incident was suspected to have been triggered by the driver's attempt to avoid a pothole.

The accident involved an ALS bus carrying dozens of passengers with a fuel tanker truck. The hard collision caused both vehicles to catch fire at the scene.

The ALS bus was known to be traveling from Lubuklinggau to Jambi. At the same time, a fuel tanker car came from the opposite direction.

It is suspected that the bus lost control and entered the opposite lane and collided with the tanker. After the collision, the fire quickly burned the bodies of the two vehicles.

Muratara Police Chief AKBP Rendy Surya Aditama said the suspected accident was triggered because the ALS bus driver avoided a hole.

"The vehicle lost control after avoiding a pothole," said AKBP Rendy Surya Aditama.

He added that the bus driver was allegedly unable to control the direction of the vehicle and failed to estimate the braking distance correctly.

"The driver is indicated to have lost his way and could not take accurate braking distance so that this collision occurred," he said.

After the incident, the South Sumatra Regional Police Traffic Directorate team also visited the location to conduct further investigations into the cause of the accident.

The police are still investigating the possibility of negligence by the driver and the factor of road damage which is suspected to have also triggered the tragic accident on Jalinsum Muratara.