State Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (operations) Mohamadul Ehsan Mohd Zain said a team was rushed to the scene after the department received a distress call at 2.46am. - Pic courtesy of Fire and Rescue Department
State Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (operations) Mohamadul Ehsan Mohd Zain said a team was rushed to the scene after the department received a distress call at 2.46am. - Pic courtesy of Fire and Rescue Department

KUALA KANGSAR: Six people were injured when an express bus they were travelling in crashed into a lorry at KM257 of the North-South Expressway (southbound) near the Menora tunnel, early today.

State Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (operations) Mohamadul Ehsan Mohd Zain said a team was rushed to the scene after the department received a distress call at 2.46am.

He said the express bus, with 26 people including the driver, was heading to Kuala Lumpur from Penang before the vehicle was involved in the incident.

"The lorry left the scene when our team from the Kuala Kangsar station arrived at the location of the accident.

The express bus, with 26 people including the driver, was heading to Kuala Lumpur from Penang before the vehicle was involved in the incident.- Pic courtesy of Fire and Rescue Department
The express bus, with 26 people including the driver, was heading to Kuala Lumpur from Penang before the vehicle was involved in the incident.- Pic courtesy of Fire and Rescue Department

"Six people, including the bus driver sustained minor injuries while the others escaped the incident unhurt," Mohamadul Ehsan said in a statement.

Preliminary investigation, he said, showed the express bus experienced brake failure causing the driver losing control of the vehicle and rammed into the rear of the lorry.

He said all victims injured during the accident were rushed to the nearest hospital for treatment and that the department concluded its rescue operation about an hour later.