Giant Telecommunications Antenna Crashed In Penang, 1 Killed, 5 Injured-Photos And Video

A 20-tonne concrete slab and a lightning arrester pole on top a 21-storey building collapsed and crashed on several vehicles along Jalan Macalister following a thunderstorm this evening. — Pix by Ramdzan Masiam/New Straits Times

A severe thunderstorm hit Penang yesterday evening, uprooting trees and causing damages to properties.

At about 6:45pm, an 80-foot telecommunications antenna crashed from the top of the 21-storey Menara UMNO in Jalan Macalister, Georgetown crushing vehicles travelling below.

Six cars and a lorry carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) canisters were crushed by the giant white-coloured pole.

One man was killed while another five were injured, including two who were seriously injured.

Jahir Hussain Sulaiman, 46, the co-driver of the lorry was killed in the incident.

The injured are Norhalis Hayati Abd Latif, 30,  Abd Latif Ramli, 71, Mohamad Badrul, 32, Rudi Ahmad, 34, and Samsiah Salim, 49.

The LPG canisters were seen lying all over road, risking possible explosion.

Occupants of the tower were evacuated while hundreds other people ran away from nearby outlets after the incident. 

Please click the photos for larger images:

A freak thunderstorm raged in Penang, causing massive damage to property, uprooting trees and jamming up the Penang Bridge. Photo credit to The Star.

Damaged vehicles along Jalan Macalister following the collapsed of a 20-tonne concrete slab and a lightning arrester pole on top a 21-storey building during a thunderstorm this evening. Photo credit to The Star.

Damaged vehicles along Jalan Macalister following the collapsed of a 20-tonne concrete slab and a lightning arrester pole on top a 21-storey building during a thunderstorm this evening. Photo credit to mStar.

A 20-tonne concrete slab and a lightning arrester pole on top a 21-storey building collapsed and crashed on several vehicles along Jalan Macalister following a thunderstorm this evening. Photo credit to mStar.

A damaged car along Jalan Macalister following a thunderstorm this evening. Photo credit to Utusan Malaysia.

A 20-tonne concrete slab and a lightning arrester pole on top a 21-storey building collapsed and crashed on several vehicles along Jalan Macalister following a thunderstorm this evening. — Pix by Ramdzan Masiam/New Straits Times

A 20-tonne concrete slab and a lightning arrester pole on top a 21-storey building collapsed and crashed on several vehicles along Jalan Macalister following a thunderstorm this evening. — Pix by Ramdzan Masiam/New Straits Times