Burning lorry causes 5km-long traffic crawl on PLUS highway near Taiping 

Operator’s latest update says right, left lanes closed temporarily as fire is being put out

PLUS Malaysia Sdn Bhd has confirmed that a lorry was on fire at KM204.4 southbound between Bukit Merah to Taiping Utara, causing a 5km-long traffic congestion southbound. – Screen grab, February 15, 2024

KUALA LUMPUR – A fiery accident involving a lorry on the North-South Expressway has caused temporary road closures and a 5km-long backlog of vehicles southbound. 

In a post on X at 4.10pm today, PLUS Malaysia Bhd said a lorry was on fire at KM204.4 southbound between Bukit Merah to Taiping Utara.

PLUS said that while traffic was slow moving, no lanes were blocked. It also advised travellers to drive safely.  

In its most recent update at 4.42pm, the highway operator said that the right and left lanes have been closed for the time being to facilitate firefighting work by Fire and Rescue Department personnel. 

It also said that there is a 5km-long traffic congestion and urged drivers to plan their journeys.  

According to clips of the incident shared with Scoop, plumes of dark smoke can be seen from several metres away from the burning lorry, which still appears to be on fire in the videos.  

The cause of the accident is unknown as of press time. – February 15, 2024