18-vehicle crash on Cipularang Toll claims life, dozens hurt

Purwakarta (ANTARA) - A massive multi-vehicle collision occurred on Monday (November 11) along the Jakarta-Bandung Cipularang toll road in West Java, resulting in dozens of injuries and one death as 18 vehicles were involved in the crash.

A senior manager representative of the Jasamarga Metropolitan toll road regional division, Agni Mayvinna, explained that four victims were severely injured while another 23 suffered from minor injuries.

"All the victims have been evacuated to hospitals for medical treatment," she revealed on Monday.

Mayvinna remarked that the accident occurred when a large truck, unable to halt during traffic congestion, collided with 17 minibuses at Kilometre 92 of the Cipularang toll road's northbound section heading to Jakarta from Bandung.

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Social media footage showed the dramatic aftermath, with minibuses stacked, flipped, and scattered across the highway, reportedly caused by the truck's suspected brake malfunction.

Meanwhile, the Police's Traffic Corps Chief, Inspector General Aan Suhanan, noted in a separate written statement received in Jakarta that his side is investigating the deadly pile-up on the Cipularang toll road.

Traffic Corps commenced the probe at the accident site on Tuesday morning. During the process, the toll road section was closed, and vehicles heading to Jakarta were directed to seek alternative routes.

"There are many possible causes, such as the driver, the vehicle, or the road or traffic factors. We will investigate all scenarios," Suhanan stated.

During preliminary examination, the investigators found that the truck was driven in high gear despite the road leading to the accident site being downhill, he remarked.

Suhanan also affirmed that the police had assigned psychologists to provide "trauma healing" to accident victims, especially children.

Apart from the Police, the Directorate General of Land Transport of the Transportation Ministry has also assigned a team to probe the crash, as confirmed by the ministry's public information bureau head, Budi Rahardjo, in his written statement on Monday.