A FUEL tanker truck belonging to PT Elnusa Petrofin, driven by 32-year-old Hilman, a resident of Batu Ampar, was involved in a serious traffic accident that was allegedly caused by brake failure while descending Jalan Projakal in Graha Indah Subdistrict, North Balikpapan, on Thursday, July 2, 2026 at around 10:20 a.m. Central Indonesia Time (WITA).
The truck, bearing license plate KB 8845 SG, was transporting fuel from the direction of Hotel Platinum to Kariangau Ferry Port.
Balikpapan Police Chief Commissioner Jerrold HY Kumontoy, through the Head of the Traffic Unit, Commissioner Muhammad Dahlan Jauhari, said the truck lost control after its braking system reportedly malfunctioned while traveling downhill.
"While descending the road, the fuel tanker experienced a malfunction in its braking system," Jauhari said.
He explained that upon reaching the area in front of the LJR Logistics Warehouse, the truck veered into the opposite lane. As the driver struggled to regain control, he steered sharply to the left.
"The driver swerved into the left lane before the truck left the roadway and crashed into a public streetlight," he added.
After the sudden maneuver, the truck struck a tree before colliding with three motorcycles traveling in the opposite direction.
The motorcycles involved were: Honda Vario (KT 6115 AQ); Yamaha Fazio (KT 6253 BBS); Honda Beat (KT 2615 HK).
The rider of the Honda Vario, M Pairin (66), a resident of Prapatan, Balikpapan City, sustained severe head injuries and later died after being taken to Kanudjoso Regional Hospital.
Meanwhile, Adi Hamdani (35), the rider of the Yamaha Fazio and a resident of Sungai Pinang, Samarinda, suffered serious injuries. The Honda Beat rider, M Noor Aqoid (68), a resident of Karang Joang, reportedly escaped without injuries. Material losses from the accident are estimated at approximately Rp10 million.
"Our preliminary assessment suggests that the driver was not sufficiently cautious while operating a heavily loaded vehicle on a downhill road," Jauhari stated.
He added that the road's left-hand curve and concrete surface also contributed to the risk of the accident. The road consists of two lanes with a single lane in each direction, separated by a solid white centerline, and is located in a busy warehouse district with considerable traffic activity.
Despite the crash, initial inspections found that both the tanker truck and the three motorcycles were roadworthy prior to the incident. Clear weather conditions at the time also ruled out weather as a contributing factor.
The Balikpapan Traffic Police are continuing their investigation to determine the exact cause of the suspected brake failure.
"We are still gathering witness statements and identifying everyone involved to determine the exact cause of the brake malfunction," Jauhari said.
Police have secured evidence and visited injured victims at the hospital as part of the investigation.
"We have also informed the families of the victims as well as the truck driver," he added.
A witness identified as Ros (51) said she saw the tanker speeding uncontrollably down the hill with a motorcycle traveling ahead of it.
According to her, the truck appeared to suffer brake failure because it was moving at high speed and was unable to avoid vehicles in front of it. From the top of the hill, the truck had already lost control before crashing into several vehicles.
Ros said she did not witness the initial collision near the top of the hill. However, from outside her home, she saw five motorcycles already lying on the road, while their riders had survived.
The truck then swerved into the opposite lane, striking two motorcycles, before returning to the left lane and hitting two more motorcycles.
"Five motorcycles had already fallen but their riders survived. Then the truck swerved into the right lane and hit two motorcycles. After that, it moved back to the left lane and crashed into another two motorcycles. I saw the driver trying to avoid more vehicles by turning the steering wheel sharply to the left," she explained.
As the truck returned to the left lane, it also struck another motorcyclist who was thrown from the vehicle before the truck crashed into a tree.
Despite hitting the tree, the tanker continued rolling downhill. At the bottom of the slope, another motorcyclist became trapped beneath the truck and was dragged along the road.
Another witness, Warto, said he did not see the collision because he was inside his workshop at the time.
"I was inside the workshop, so I didn't see exactly what happened. I had just arrived at work when the accident occurred," he said.
He recalled that the truck came to a stop directly in front of his workshop. After hearing a loud crash and residents shouting for help, he rushed outside and found one victim still alive but pinned underneath the truck.
Together with local residents, Warto helped jack up the truck to rescue the victim, who had suffered severe injuries after reportedly being dragged from the curve at the top of the hill to the bottom of the descent. [RUL/ID]
