Woman And Baby Killed, Five Others Injured In Car-Lorry Collision On East-West Expressway

KOTA BHARU, Aug 30 (Bernama) -- A woman in her 40s and a baby girl, approximately nine months old, died while five others were injured in an accident involving a Perodua Alza car and a lorry on the East-West Expressway, near the Perak-Jeli border, today.

Jeli Fire and Rescue Station Chief, Azhar Elmi Mustofar said the accident involved seven victims, two of whom were confirmed dead at the scene.

He said his team received an emergency call about the incident at 3.23 pm through the MERS999 system, before a team of personnel was dispatched to the scene.

"The inspection found that an accident had indeed occurred involving two vehicles, a Perodua Alza and a lorry, with seven victims involved.

"Two victims, a woman in her 40s and a baby girl aged between eight and nine months, had died at the scene," he told Bernama today.

Azhar Elmi said the other five victims were injured and have been sent to the Jeli Hospital for further treatment.

According to him, the rescue operation began at 3.58 pm and was successfully completed at 4.17 pm.

"The fire and rescue team carried out the work of extricating the trapped victims before handing them over to the police and the Ministry of Health for further action," he said, adding that the identities of all victims are still under police investigation.

Meanwhile, Jeli District Police Chief, Superintendent Kamarulzaman Harun, confirmed that two passengers in a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) died after the vehicle collided with a lorry at KM15, East-West Expressway (JRTB), here, this afternoon.

He said that in the 2.20pm incident, the Perodua Alza MPV, which was coming from the Gerik direction, lost control while negotiating a corner and entered the opposite lane before colliding with the lorry that was coming from the Jeli direction.

"As a result of the collision, two passengers in the MPV were confirmed dead at the scene, while the driver of the MPV and the lorry driver did not suffer serious injuries.

"The bodies of both victims were sent to the Jeli Hospital Forensic Unit for an autopsy to determine the cause of death," he said in a statement today.

According to him, the case is being investigated under Section 41 of the Road Transport Act 1987.

He said witnesses to the incident are urged to come forward and assist in the investigation by contacting the Jeli District Police Headquarters Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Division at 09-944 0222 or the investigating officer at 014-802 1928.

-- BERNAMA