Vacation Turns Deadly As 3 Friends Die After Sleeping In A Car With Its Engine Running
One other friend, Nor Aqilah Mohd Safwan, a twin sister to one of the deceased, is currently receiving treatment at an intensive care unit (ICU) in a Kuala Lumpur hospital.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 18 Sep 2020, 12:46 PM
A vacation for four to Penang has turned deadly after the group decided to make a stop at a petrol station for some rest
Three out of the four have passed away due to suspected carbon monoxide poisoning after falling asleep in a Honda Odyssey, reported New Straits Times.
One more victim is currently in critical condition.
Prior to the incident, the group of friends had visited Pulau Jerejak on Malaysia Day, 16 September, for a holiday.
While on their way back, the driver, Nor Aqilah Mohd Safwan, reportedly experienced a headache and vomited.
At 8.30pm, they made a stop at a petrol station in Sama Gagah, towards the North-South Expressway (NSE).
According to Bernama, Seberang Perai Tengah district police chief ACP Shafee Abd Samad said the petrol station's closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera revealed that a few of them alighted the vehicle to purchase some food.
After they went back to the vehicle, they were not seen coming out again until they were discovered unconscious by one of their fathers.
It is learned that they had fallen asleep in the vehicle with the engine running and the windows fully rolled up.
The four were friends who had just completed their studies in pharmacy at a private college in Batu Caves
The deceased, all 21 years old, were identified as Sharifah Fariesha Syed Fathi, Ayuni Shazwanie Shabri, and Nor Adilah Mohd Safwan.
According to the police, the victims were found unconscious in the car by Ayuni's father after she had earlier informed her family at 9.15pm that she and her friends were taking a break at the petrol station.
ACP Shafee said Ayuni's family began worrying about their daughter's safety after she had not reached home by 11pm.
Hence, the father rushed to the petrol station in Penang from his home in Sungai Petani, Kedah to check on her.
When he arrived at the scene, he found the four were lying unconscious in the vehicle.
The father immediately made an emergency call and an ambulance arrived at the location at 1am.
Shafee said initial checks found that Sharifah, who was in the front seat, had died, while Ayuni was pronounced dead while receiving treatment at the Seberang Jaya Hospital.
Nor Adilah took her last breath at the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Army Hospital in Lumut, Perak at 4.23pm yesterday, 17 September.
As of press time, her twin sister, Nor Aqilah Mohd Safwan, is being treated at the Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Army Hospital in Kuala Lumpur.
She is reportedly still in critical condition.
Clockwise, from top left: Ayuni Shazwanie Shabri, Nor Aqilah Mohd Safwan, Nor Adilah Mohd Safwan, and Sharifah Fariesha Syed Fathi.
Image via New Straits TimesEarly inspection on the Honda Odyssey had found that there was a possible leakage at the vehicle's exhaust
"During inspection, the exhaust produced a sound and a large amount of smoke," New Straits Times quoted ACP Shafee as saying.
"As a result of the leakage, the smoke entered the car."
The inspection was carried out by a Honda technician from Bukit Mertajam, Penang.
The case has been classified as sudden death as there was no sign of any criminal element involved. However, the police are still conducting further investigations.
