IPOH: About 15 students from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) were killed after the bus they were travelling in collided with another vehicle along the East-West Highway (Jalan Raya Timur-Barat, JRTB), near the Banjaran Titiwangsa rest and service area (RNR), early on Monday (June 9) morning.
Perak Fire and Rescue Department director Sayani Saidon said they received a distress call at 1.04am regarding the accident.
"A total of 48 people were involved in the crash, including 42 students, a bus driver, an attendant, and four occupants from the other vehicle.
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"As of now, 13 victims were confirmed dead. Of the rest, 31 suffered injuries, while three individuals from the other vehicle sustained minor injuries and one had a broken arm," she said in a statement.
The accident occurred when the bus overturned and the car veered into a ditch, both vehicles heading from Jeli towards Gerik.
"Upon arrival, we found that some victims had managed to exit the bus on their own, some were thrown out, and others remained trapped inside," she said.
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The rescue team used hydraulic cutting tools to create an access point by cutting open the rear of the bus and discovered six more victims, where two were severely injured.
"Firefighters worked to stabilise the injured and extracted them from the bus before handing them over to the Health Ministry personnel on-site.
"All injured victims, including those who exited on their own, received initial medical treatment at the scene. The deceased were handed over to the police for further action," she added.
Those injured were transported to the hospital using Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) vehicles, Health Ministry ambulances, and Civil Defence Force (APM) ambulances.
