HIGHWAY ACCIDENT. The truck that lost its brakes and flipped along the highway in Barangay Sangali, Zamboanga City on Wednesday morning (March 29, 2023). The accident, which killed twin sisters and injured 26 others, occurred when the workers were being ferried to their workplace at the Aquatic Food Manufacturing Corp. in Barangay Recodo. (Photo courtesy of Bong Simbajon)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Twin sisters died while 26 others, all workers of a canning factory, were injured when the company truck they were riding overturned along the national highway in this city early Wednesday, a police official said.
Lt. Col. Paul Andrew Cortes, city police information officer, said the vehicular accident occurred in Barangay Sangali, 25 km. east of the city proper, at about 5 a.m. Wednesday.
Cortes said the victims were aboard a truck of the Aquatic Food Manufacturing Corp. that overturned and crashed on a house as it negotiated a descending curve in the village.
“The driver lost control of the steering wheel due to brake malfunction,” Cortes said, adding that the house was damaged.
One of the two fatalities was identified as Nursiya Taring, while her twin sister’s name has yet to be determined by the police.
Dr. Afdal Kunting, chief of the Zamboanga City Medical Center, said all injured victims were brought to the hospital but the twins were declared dead by the attending physician.
Kunting said six of the 26 wounded victims are for admission while the rest were advised to go home after being treated for minor injuries.
The truck driver, identified as Banny Molina Martinez Jr., 26, was slightly injured, police said. (PNA)
