SEMPORNA — A load of oil palm fruit spilling onto a road in Semporna, Sabah, triggered a three-vehicle collision on Saturday, leaving one driver seriously injured, another person with heart problems and several others with minor injuries.
The crash happened at Simpang Empat Kalumpang along the Semporna-Tawau road at about 9.52am, after palm fruit reportedly fell from a lorry and scattered across the roadway. Drivers of an Isuzu D-Max, Toyota Hilux and Toyota Avanza swerved to avoid the obstruction before the vehicles collided.
Seven people were involved in the incident — three men and four women. The D-Max driver was trapped inside the vehicle and suffered serious injuries, while another man sustained minor injuries. Four women were also affected, with three suffering minor injuries and another experiencing heart complications. The lorry driver escaped without injury.
Firefighters from the Semporna Fire and Rescue Station arrived after receiving the emergency call at 9.52am. Emergency Medical Rescue Services personnel treated the seriously injured driver at the scene before transporting him to Semporna Hospital. The person experiencing heart problems was also taken for medical treatment.
Other injured passengers were transported to Semporna Hospital by ambulance and emergency responders. Firefighters also worked to clear the road of the spilled palm fruit, oil and broken glass following the collision.
The incident highlights how cargo falling onto busy roads can quickly create a secondary hazard for motorists. In this case, the scattered fruit forced several drivers to make sudden manoeuvres, resulting in multiple vehicles becoming involved in the crash.
Authorities have not indicated that the collision involved any other major contributing factor beyond the spilled load and the attempts by motorists to avoid it. The circumstances surrounding how the palm fruit fell from the lorry remain part of the incident assessment.
The road was eventually cleared after emergency crews completed their response, allowing traffic to resume.
The crash is another reminder that even seemingly minor road obstructions can create serious risks when motorists encounter them unexpectedly — particularly on routes where vehicles have little time or space to react.
