Four burnt to death in two-vehicle collision near Kota Tinggi

Four people, including a family of three from Singapore were burnt to death after two vehicles collided at KM63.5 of the Johor Bahru-Mersing road near the Sungai Dohol bridge here, today.

Kota Tinggi District Police chief Supt Rahmat Othman said the 7.10am fiery incident involved a Land Rover bearing a Singapore registration number and a Toyota Corolla with a local registration number.

"The accident is believed to have occurred when the Land Rover coming from Johor Bahru lost control, hit the side wall of the bridge, and entered the opposite lane before crashing into a Toyota Corolla car which was coming from the opposite direction," he said when contacted.

Rahmat said the two vehicles caught fire after the crash, causing the driver and two passengers in the Land Rover and the female driver of the Toyota Corolla to perish in the fire.

He said, however, a child (about four years-old) was rescued from the Land Rover by passersby and later sent to the Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Bahru for treatment.

Rahmat said the driver of the Toyota Corolla was identified as Noor Haryanti Safiai, 30, a technician, while the identities of the three Singaporeans has yet to be determined.

Noor Haryanti's father Safiai Mohamad, 60, said the last time he met his daughter was at 6.30am after returning home from morning prayers at the mosque.

"There were no significant changes in (the demeanor of) Noor Haryanti as she was a jovial person. I spoke to her briefly and advised her to drive carefully before she left our house in Sungai Ara here, to work.

"Her mother is still traumatised after receiving news of the accident. She was grieved that her daughter was not able to have breakfast (fried rice) which she had prepared that morning," he told reporters at the Kota Tinggi Hospital.

Safiai said Noor Haryanti lived and worked in Permas Jaya, Johor Bahru, while her husband, Mohd Yusof Jamil, 30, who is a member of the Simpang Renggam General Operations Force was still on duty in Kuala Lumpur.

He said Noor Haryanti had returned to Sungai Ara yesterday to visit him along with her two sisters, Noor Amaliah, 28, Noor Najihah, 23, and her two children, Nornisa Ariyana, 3, and Norhana Arisa, 2.

Noor Haryanti's remains were buried at the Felcra Sungai Ara Muslim cemetery here this evening.