A road accident that happened on the North-South Expressway connecting the northern and southern parts of Peninsula Malaysia killed at least 12 people, while injuring more than 45 others on Sunday.
According to several members of the rescue team, the tragedy took place at about 6:45 p.m. local time, causing massive jam on the road.
The actual scene was located near the Rembau district in Negeri Sembilan, a state in the central part of west coast of Peninsula Malaysia.
The Malaysian police, confirming the accident, told reporters here that an express bus, a bus belonging to the Malaysian Welfare Department, three cars and a van were involved in the accident.
The police also said that the identities of the victims were not immediately known.
When met at the hospital, some rescue team members told reporters that the bumper-to-bumper congestion had obstructed the way of several ambulances rushing to the scene.
They said that by looking at the vehicles' conditions involved in the accident, it was believed that the bus ferrying tens of passengers had lost control on the highway and rammed into the divider.
The strong collision forced the bus into the opposite lanes, causing it to plough with four other vehicles.
However, the police were investigating if the accident was due to the reckless driving by the bus driver, or the technical and engine faults of the vehicle, said the rescuers.
A spokesman from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department said that the bus collided with a car and overturned after hitting another bus.
The driver of the car trapped under the bus that turned turtle died on the spot, while another van, trying to avoid the express bus, crashed into a car, killing also the van driver immediately.
