KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 — A married couple narrowly escaped death after their car caught fire following a collision with another vehicle at kilometre (KM) 264.6 northbound on the North–South Expressway (PLUS), just after the Ipoh toll plaza, on Thursday morning.

Perak Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) acting deputy director of operations Shazlean Mohd Hanafiah said emergency services received a call about the vehicle fire at 8.20am, Sinar Harian reported today.

He said a team from the Meru Raya Fire and Rescue Station was dispatched and arrived at the scene eight minutes later.

“Upon arrival, we found a car almost 80 per cent on fire after being involved in a collision with another vehicle. There were two victims, a married couple aged around 68, who sustained injuries,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

Shazlean said both victims received initial treatment from medical personnel from the Ministry of Health (KKM) who were already at the scene before firefighters arrived.

He added that the other vehicle involved in the crash had been removed by a tow truck.

The operation commander carried out an initial assessment and instructed firefighters to use a 100-foot hose line with water supplied from the truck tank to douse the fire.

The blaze was brought under control by 8.33am and completely extinguished by 9.25am.

A total of six firefighters and one Light Fire Rescue Tender (LFRT) were involved in the operation.