Efforts to recover body in SUKE highway crane collapse continue - Fire Dept

KUALA LUMPUR: The process to recover the body of one of three workers killed in yesterday's gantry crane collapse incident at the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) construction site in Cheras was continuing today.

Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department director Nordin Pauzi said firefighters were waiting for the contractor to stablise the building structure, which is expected to take seven to nine hours.

“We are waiting for the contractor to carry out their work before we continue with the recovery process because the beams are heavy,” he told Bernama today.

Meanwhile, Cheras district police chief ACP Mohamed Mokhsein Mohamed Zon said police were still deployed at the scene to monitor the situation.

“We have also set up a mobile station to facilitate monitoring and control,” he added.

Chinese nationals Ding Kunfu, Jiang Jinboa and Mu Tong Zheng were crushed to death while a motorist was seriously injured when the gantry crane toppled over at the SUKE construction site near Puncak Banyan, Persiaran Alam Damai in Cheras here.

Two of the bodies have been recovered while that of Mu has yet to be retrieved. The driver, a local man, was admitted to the Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Hospital.

SUKE said in a statement that a detour would be opened while the road at Persiaran Alam Damai was closed following the incident to enable clean-up work to be done at the location, from yesterday till Sunday.

In another statement, SUKE concession holder Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (Prolintas) said they would ensure that the recovery, diversion and repair works at the scene are done properly and safely.

“Prolintas and SUKE will cooperate fully to identify the actual cause of the incident. Any further action to be taken will depend on the investigation by the authorities,” it said.

-- BERNAMA