BENTONG: A fatal accident involving seven vehicles including two trailers claimed the lives of three people, leaving three others severely injured early today.
The deceased have been identified as Mohd Ridzuan Zulkafly, 40, Muhamad Zaimi Shariff, 39, and Muhammad Azizul Fitrie Md Zaire, 23.
The incident was at Km42 of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak highway near Bukit Tinggi here today.
Pahang Fire and Rescue Department public relations officer Zulfadli Zakaria said the Bentong fire station received a distress call at 4.13am before eight firemen were deployed to the scene.
"The accident involved four cars, a three-tonne lorry and two trailers. One of the trailers was completely destroyed in a fire.
"Two people travelling in the three-tonne lorry and another person in a car were killed in the accident. Three people were badly injured, two sustained light injuries and five people escaped unhurt," he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, a Bentong fire and rescue department spokesman said the accident involved vehicles in both directions.
He said a trailer laden with concrete beams travelling from Kuala Lumpur towards Bentong is believed to have lost control before crashing into the three-tonne lorry which was travelling in the same direction.
"The trailer then hit the divider before the concrete debris was strewn on the opposite lane (towards Kuala Lumpur).
Vehicles travelling towards Kuala Lumpur crashed into the concrete beams," he said.