Woman killed in bus accident near Pegu

by Phanida
Tuesday, 02 June 2009 22:33

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - A woman was killed and 40 others injured when a ferry bus belonging to a garment factory collided with a heavy truck in Pegu Township, north of Rangoon on Monday.

The Shweminthar ferry bus, carrying about 70 workers from the Myanstar factory near Bandargone village, about seven miles west of Pegu town, on Monday went to Pegu town. On the way back, a tyre was punctured and the bus slammed into a heavy truck killing a woman and injuring several others.

“The bus was travelling smoothly from Pegu town, but when it reached Larkamoeh village near Pegu College, one of its tyres got punctured. The driver lost control of the bus and rammed into a truck that was stationary. Aye Aye Mar was killed on the spot with injuries to the head,” a local resident said.

Another local said that most of the workers are young between the ages of 18 to 25 years. At least 40 of them were reportedly injured in the accident and about 30 injured people were admitted to Pegu hospital’s intensive care unit.

Aye Aye Mar (25) succumbed on the spot.

Ei Ei Phyoe (19) sustained injuries on the head that required 10 stitches, while Chan Myea Zaw was hurt badly below his waist and could not move the lower portion of the body.

When contacted by Mizzima, an official at the Pegu hospital said several injured people following an accident were admitted to the hospital.

“There are a lot of patients in Pegu hospital and if necessary we send them to the emergency ward. But we cannot estimate how many of them are there,” the official said.

“There were about 70 people in the bus. It was overcrowded given that it was a small bus. The vehicle was also old,” the local said.

Local residents said that the factory authorities have permitted the workers only a day’s leave and have asked them to work for the rest of the days.