GETTING caught on a runaway train is not something most of us would want to experience.
A video going viral on social media shows a group of people experiencing tense moments as the barkes on the train they were on apparently failed.
Captions and comments on the viral video indicate that the incident happened in hilly terrain near Tenom in Sabah and that the passengers were saved thanks to the quick-thinking actions of nearby villagers who bravely dragged a motorcycle trolley onto the tracks to stop the runaway train.
Did such an incident happen in Tenom, as alleged in the viral video?
Verdict:
FALSE
Sabah Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said initial reports on the March 3 incident that motorcycle trolley operators threw their vehicles onto the tracks to stop the runaway Railbus RB8801 at the Kg Pangi station were not accurate.
"The motorcycle trolleys were already on the rail tracks. It was not thrown onto the track to stop the train," he said on Thursday (March 12).
Previously, Sabah Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar shared a video capturing the tense moments inside the carriage, showing the teachers praying for their safety as the train sped out of control on the tracks.
Jamawi had said nearby villagers took the risky move to place motorcycle trolleys on the tracks to help stop the train.
The Melalap assemblyman described the actions of the villagers as "brave as well as risky".
Jamawi urged the Railway Delartment to conduct a full and immediate investigation into the incident to prevent any recurrence.
He also said that rail transport is a lifeline for residents and civil servants and it was very important to ensure good maintenance of the trains and tracks in the area.
NOTE: This story has been amended to reflect the Thursday (March 12) statement by Ewon Benedick on the issue.
