Quick-thinking villagers in Malaysia’s Sabah stop runaway train with rail trolley
The train had suffered a brake failure during a morning commute in southwest Sabah, prompting calls from officials for a full investigation
A group of quick-thinking villagers swooped to the rescue of a runaway train in the East Malaysian state of Sabah on Tuesday, sacrificing a vital motorised rail trolley to force the carriage to stop.
The incident unfolded at about 7.30am as the train was carrying passengers – including teachers and families with young children – on their regular morning commute from Tenom to the Pangi subdistrict in southwest Sabah, on the island of Borneo.
The train suffered a brake failure, according to local media reports.
A video taken on board showed passengers huddled behind their seats, bracing themselves for impact and praying for their safety and that of the children.
“Swift action by several villagers who placed their motorcycle trolley on the tracks managed to stop the train,” Jamawi Jaafar, the area’s elected representative, said in a social media post.
Jamawi also shared pictures of the wreckage of the motorised trolley that was used to stop the runaway train.