IPOH: One person was killed in an accident involving seven vehicles including two trailers and an ambulance at KM381.3 of the North-South Expressway (Southbound) early today.
The deceased has been identified as a trailer driver, Mohd Khairuddin Md Taharim, 44, from Bukit Beruntung, Rawang.
Muallim district police chief Superintendent Mohd Hasni Mohd Nasir said the midnight accident involved two trailers, two lorries, a Nissan X-Trail, a Proton Iriz and an ambulance.
Mohd Hasni said investigation found that the trailer driver was heading towards Kuala Lumpur from Ipoh and had lost control of the vehicle before it brushed against another trailer causing it to skid to the road shoulder.
"The Nissan X-Trail, which came from the same direction, managed to brake on time, but it was then hit by the Proton Iriz from behind.
"Then another trailer coming from the same direction could not avoid the scene and hit several cones which were put on the road shoulder before it hit the ambulance, the Nissan X-Trail, a lorry and the earlier trailer which skidded to the road shoulder.
"As a result of this accident, another lorry turned on its side blocking the middle and right lane, while the earlier trailer turned on its side blocking the left and road shoulder lane," said Mohd Hasni.
The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
Meanwhile, a Perak Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson said that there was a victim who was pinned to his seat and was pronounced dead at the scene by medical staff.
"A special tool and two cranes were dispatched to extricate the body of the victim. The victim's body was handed over to the police for further action," he said, adding that the operation ended at 4.05am.
According to the highway concessionaire PLUS through its Twitter page (@plustrafik), the accident caused traffic congestion that stretched as far as five kilometres.
As of 7.45am today, the clearing works were still ongoing and all vehicles heading south were directed to take the exit at Slim River Toll Plaza.