At least five people were killed this morning (January 21) in East Kalimantan in Indonesia when a truck smashed into a queue of cars waiting at a traffic light.

Footage captured from a traffic camera in Balikpapan City at 6:19 am local time showed the transport vehicle failing to slow down and slamming straight into the stationary cars.

Several of the passenger vehicles flipped as the truck ploughed through them.

Preliminary investigations suggest the truck's brakes may have failed as the 48-year-old driver approached the light.

Initial reports say at least five people were killed and another four were seriously injured.

A passerby named Rafik captured distressing images in the immediate aftermath of the accident showing emergency services tending to the injured and the mangled wreckage of vehicles strewn across the road.

The injured were taken to several local hospitals for treatment.

A tronton truck hit a number of two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles at the Muara Rapak red light, Balikpapan City, East Kalimantan, Friday, January 21, 2022. "Yes (it was) this morning (it happened)," said Head of Public Relations of the East Kalimantan Police, Sr. Comr. Yusuf Sutejo, told reporters about this deadly accident.

From the data collected, the fatal accident occurred at around 06.15 WITA. The truck driver is known to have the initials MA, Balikpapan resident, 48 years old. Driving a tronton truck with number KT 8534 AJ.

MA has been driving the truck since 05.00 WITA from the parking location on Jalan Pulau Balang Km 13, North Balikpapan. The truck is reportedly loaded with 20 fit containers containing 20 tons of water-purifying lime.

The truck was about to go to Kampung Baru, West Balikpapan. Arriving in front of Rajawali Photo Km 0.5, the driver is said to have started to reduce gears from 4 to 3.

Then, arriving in front of one of the banks, the brakes failed and the tronton truck sped up and hit the one in front of it. Tragically, at the time of the incident, many vehicles stopped at a red light.

Temporary data that has been collected from the incident, 5 people died, 4 people were seriously injured.

In addition, the red light at the scene of the incident collapsed, the guardrail was damaged, a number of vehicles were hit: 6 units of four wheels (2 units of city transportation (angkot), 2 units of pickup, 2 units of private vehicles) and 14 units of four wheels.

After the accident, the victims were then taken to a number of nearby hospitals in Balikpapan. Namely Kanujoso General Hospital, Faith Hospital, and Ibn Sina Hospital. "We are still a priority for victims, if we have secured the driver at the Balikpapan Police," said East Kalimantan Police Public Relations Officer Yusuf.

"What we prioritize is handling the evacuation of fatalities, and so on, then conducting the crime scene in the field," he said regarding this deadly accident.