BAYAN LEPAS: A car burst into flames at Km18 of the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah Bridge today, causing a traffic jam stretching over five kilometres.
The incident involved a Mercedes C200, which caught fire on the Batu Maung-bound lane after colliding with a car battery left on the roadside.
Bayan Baru Fire and Rescue Station operations commander Mohd Firdaus Mohd Saad said 12 personnel, assisted by Batu Kawan Fire and Rescue Station, were dispatched to the scene after receiving a distress call at 3.18pm.
"Upon arrival, we found that a man and a woman, both in their 20s, managed to escape safely from the vehicle. The team took 15 minutes to control and extinguish the fire," he said when contacted.
He added that the car was 80 per cent destroyed, and the incident caused traffic congestion of about five kilometres from Batu Kawan to Batu Maung.
The incident also went viral on social media, with videos captured by the public showing thick plumes of smoke rising from the Second Penang Bridge.
Meanwhile, southwest district police chief, Assistant Commissioner Sazalee Adam, confirmed the incident.