SUNGAI PETANI: A motorcyclist and his wife were killed when their Benelli TNT machine crashed into the rear of an army pickup truck and caught fire at Km 87 of the Plus Expressway near Gurun today.
Kuala Muda police chief Assistant Commissioner Zaidy Che Hassan said the 41-year-old rider, Ridzuan Salleh@ Ramli, was killed on the spot in the 2pm incident while his wife Rosmawati Ismail, 39, succumbed to her multiple injuries while receiving emergency treatment at Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital (HSAH).
Zaidy said that based on the initial investigation, the motorcyclist was riding the 600cc machine at high speed from Alor Star towards Butterworth before losing control of the motorcycle and crashing into the rear of the pickup truck.
"The impact of the crash had caused the machine to catch fire. The rider was killed on the spot due to multiple injuries and had burnt injuries.
"The female pillion rider succumbed to her injuries while receiving treatment at the hospital's emergency unit at about 3.20pm. The bodies have been sent to HSAH forensic unit for post-morterm," he said in a statement.
Zaidy said the driver of the Army's vehicle and his passenger escaped unhurt.
It is learnt that the couple, hailed from Sungai Petani, were heading back when the incident occurred.
The state Fire and Rescue Department Operations chief, Mohd Fauzi Razali, said firefighters from the Guar Chempedak Fire Station were deployed to the scene upon receiving a distress call at about 2.10pm.
"Upon arriving at the scene, the rescuers found that the motorcyclist had died while the female victim was injured.
"The crewmen had put out the fire and provided emergency medical treatment on the injured victim," he said.