BUKIT MERTAJAM, Nov 20 — Two men were killed after the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) they were travelling in collided with a fruit-laden lorry at KM141.5 of the southbound North-South Expressway, near the Juru Rest & Relaxation (R&R) area, late last night.

Penang Fire and Rescue Department assistant operations director John Sagun Francis said the victims were the MPV’s driver, Mohamad Nizar Abdul Rahman, 32, and passenger Muhammad Fakhrur Razi Usri, 31.

He said the department received an emergency call at 11.22 pm before dispatching a team from the Perai Fire and Rescue Station to the scene.

“The driver and passenger of the Toyota Estima MPV were trapped in the vehicle while the lorry driver escaped unhurt,” he said in a statement today.

John said firefighters used special equipment to extricate the trapped victims, who were freed at 11.56 pm.

However, both were pronounced dead by Health Ministry medical personnel at the scene, he said. — Bernama