IPOH: Two trailer lorries caught fire following a crash at KM259.2 of the North-South Expressway (southbound) near Menora Tunnel, here, this morning.
One of the lorry driver was hurt in the 11.30am incident which saw a massive 17km-long traffic jam.
The routes, from the crash site to Sungai Perak Rest and Recreation area (R&R) had to be closed to allow firefighters to control the blaze.
PLUS, in its Twitter post, said a U-turn lane was opened at KM259.1 to enable road users to turn back and exit via the Kuala Kangsar Toll Plaza to ease the congestion and continue their journey.
Kuala Kangsar police chief Assistant Commissioner Razali Ibrahim said the crash occured when one of the trailer lorry slammed into a stalled trailer lorry, laden with plastic material, on the left lane of the expressway.
“The impact caused one of the vehicles’ engine oil to leak and the trailer head to catch fire. The blaze spread so fast and even consumed the plastic material cargo,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said the department received a distress call at 11.41am and deployed a team from Kuala Kangsar to the area.
“Upon arrival, the team found that more than 80 per cent of the two trailers were burning and took about three hours to completely put out the blaze."
After the fire was doused, PLUS said the right lane of the southbound expressway was opened to traffic at 3pm. However, the left and middle lane remained closed as of 4pm to make way for the removal of the damaged vehicles.
The crash also caused an eight-kilometre congestion for northbound traffic from the Menora Tunnel.
