KUALA LUMPUR: The person who died after an uprooted tree fell on vehicles along Jalan Sultan Ismail here today was conscious for about five minutes.
A witness, Muhammad Tariq Haikal, 24, said he was in his office near the location of the incident when he heard the sound of strong winds and the tree falling on several vehicles.
"Amidst the chaos, I got out of my office to help the driver in one of the vehicles which was pinned under the tree. A tree branch pierced through from its front passenger seat to the driver' seat.
" A few people and I helped to remove a branch which was on a man's head and he was conscious for about five minutes.
"Someone there advised the man to recite the 'syahadah' before he fainted," said Tariq, who is a real estate agent.
He said he did not see anyone else in the car because it was only the man in there.
Tariq added that most of the vehicles that were pinned under the uprooted tree could not avoid it because they had stopped at the junction with the traffic light.
"There were also other victims (whose vehicles were not pinned under the tree) who looked traumatised in the incident. They fled to a nearby hotel.
"I hope the local authorities will take immediate action on the trees in this area. They should be cut down to avoid a repeat of today's incident," he said.
A man was killed, while other people were injured when the tree crushed 17 vehicles in the 2pm incident.
Dang Wangi district deputy police chief Superintendent Nazron Abd Yusof had the 47-year-old victim who died was an occupant of one of the vehicles.
His body was taken to Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) for post-mortem examination.
He said an e-hailing driver and his passenger, a Swedish woman were among the injured victims.
All Monorail services between the Hang Tuah and Medan Tuanku stations were also suspended temporarily due to the fallen tree smashing onto the monorail track.
