IPOH (Jan 10): An accident involving a car and a lorry carrying newsprint at Km 250 of the north-bound North-South Expressway (NSE) near the Sungai Perak rest and recreation (R&R) area caused a six-kilometre congestion stretching back to the Menora Tunnel this morning.

A PLUS Malaysia Berhad spokesperson said all lanes were closed when the load of newsprint scattered all over the highway during the accident at 6.00 am

"However, the right lane was opened to traffic at 7.50 am but the left lane was still obstructed,” he said when contacted by Bernama here today.

He said works to clear the highway after the incident was still going on.

The accident is believed to have occurred following a collision between the lorry and a car which caused the car driver and a lorry passenger to sustain injuries.

Meanwhile, Kuala Kangsar police chief ACP Razali Ibrahim said police had received a report from the lorry driver, Faizal Zaneri, 34, who is from Selangor at 8.30 am.

He said during the incident, the lorry driver was with his father, Zaneri Yahdin, 64, on the way to the south and he suddenly lost control of the vehicle at the accident location and crashed into the car which had broken down in the emergency lane

"The lorry then dragged the Honda Civic for a short distance before both vehicles spun resulting in the goods on the lorry to be spilled all over the highway.

Razali said initial investigations found the incident took place when the section of the highway was undergoing tarring.

He said the lorry driver was unhurt while his father and the car driver, Mohd Shafri Mansor, 32, of Penang suffered light injuries.

He said the injured victims were brought to Kuala Kangsar Hospital for treatment.