Crane operator’s family in shock over untimely death

PETALING JAYA: Siblings Siti Zaharah and Azita Sanip are still in shock after finding out that their youngest brother was crushed to death in a freak accident at a construction site near Ara Damansara here.

In the incident on Tuesday, 26-year-old Mohd Hafadz Sanip was instantly killed when a crane he was operating fell from a height of 11-storeys at around 8.50am.

Petaling Fire and Rescue Department assistant superintendent Muhd Zaikunor Afendi Muhd Nordin said firefighters arrived at the scene at 9.15am and took more than an hour to extricate his body out of the wreckage.

“He came in for work around 7.50 am and had already started operating the crane while his colleagues were being briefed.

“A colleague screamed when he saw machinery falling an hour later,” he said.

Mohd Hafadz’s body was sent to University Malaya Medical Center for an autopsy and was collected by his two older sisters.

Kindergarten teacher Siti Zaharah, 34, fought back tears as she recalled her brother sending her to work on the morning of his death.

“He was always meticulous and had never been in an accident since he entered the construction industry,” she said.

The grieving sister said Mohd Hafadz used to work as a forklift operator in Petaling Jaya for more than two years.

“He was only on his first month into the new job,” she said.

Her sister Azita Sanip, 39, said Mohd Hafadz had a twin brother and was the youngest in a family of six siblings.

“Our parents have long passed away. All we had was each other,” said the housewife.

Azita explained that her brother, who she dearly refers to as ‘Pijun’, had always been attentive to the needs of his family members.

“Pijun would use a portion of his income to support the family. He was always kind and generous to us,” she said.

Mohd Hafadz will be buried in Johor Bahru in the presence of his friends and family.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Sime Darby Berhad (speaking of behalf of joint venture company Sime Darby Brunsfield Holding (SDBH) said that construction at the site has been put on hold pending an investigation into the accident.

“We are extending our full cooperation to the relevant authorities including the Department of Occupational Safety and Hazard (DOSH), the police and the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) to facilitate the on-going investigations,” the spokesman said, adding that safety at all its project sites were a top priority.