"Why Is This Happening?" Runaway Train With Brake Failure Stopped by Residents' Quick Thinking, Preventing Major Disaster

Motorcycle trolleys placed on tracks to force slowdown
Train stops after colliding with six motorcycles on tracks
State government: "New motorcycles will be provided as compensation"

An incident occurred in Malaysia where residents used motorcycles to stop a train that was running with malfunctioning brakes.

On March 5, Yonhap News TV, citing local sources such as Malaysia's Daily Express, reported the story of residents who prevented a major accident by quickly bringing a runaway train to a halt.

Six motorcycles were lined up in sequence on the tracks, and the train hit them one after another, gradually slowing down before coming to a stop. The motorcycles were damaged during the collision, but the train stopped without any major accident. Photo by Jamawi Jaafar Facebook

Earlier, at around 7:30 a.m. on March 4, a technical issue caused the brakes to fail on a train traveling from Tenom to Pangi in the state of Sabah. Passengers, including teachers from Pangi Elementary School, were reportedly on board at the time. As the train continued to run without being able to stop, the situation inside the carriages became tense, with some passengers seen kneeling in prayer. With the train out of control, nearby residents took emergency action. They decided to slow the train by placing 'motorcycle trolleys,' typically used to transport goods, onto the railway tracks.

In the end, a total of six motorcycles were placed in succession on the tracks, and the train gradually slowed down as it successively collided with them before coming to a stop. While the motorcycles were damaged during the collision, the train stopped without any major accident. According to local police, most passengers were unharmed, with only a few minor injuries reported.

The Sabah state government expressed its gratitude to the residents who risked their safety to stop the train. Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor announced that new motorcycles would be provided to those who had supplied their vehicles. The incident has also reignited concerns over the safety of the railway line. Local media reported that trains running between Tenom and Pangi have previously experienced disruptions due to ongoing maintenance issues. Authorities stated that they plan to investigate the exact cause of the train's brake failure and strengthen inspections of all railway facilities.

Meanwhile, the incident has once again raised questions about the safety of this railway line. In fact, railway accidents have occurred intermittently in Malaysia. In 2008, a train derailed due to a landslide in Sabah, causing the vehicle to plunge into a river and resulting in the deaths of two passengers. In 2021, a major accident occurred in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, when two light rail transit (LRT) trains collided head-on on the same track, injuring 213 passengers. This remains the largest accident in Malaysia's railway history.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.