SUNGAI PETANI - A husband and wife died after their motorcycle had crashed into the back of an army truck before catching on fire at Kilometre 87.0 of the North-South Expressway here on Thursday.
Kuala Muda district police chief Assistant Commissioner Zaidy Che Hassan said the rider known as Ridzuan Salleh@ Ramli, 41, who worked as a soldier died at the scene due to severe burns on his body in the incident around 2pm.
His partner Rosmawati Ismail, 39 died while receiving treatments at the Sultan Abdul Hamid Hospital (HSAH) Red Zone here at 3.20pm.
"Early investigations found the couple were on a high-powered motorcycle at high speed heading from Alor Setar towards Butterworth.
"As they arrived at the scene of the incident, the rider failed to avoid the army truck and crashed into the back of the vehicle.
"The strong impact had caused the motorcycle to catch fire on the right lane of the highway,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
Zaidy explained both victims were brought to the HSAH Forensic Unit for an autopsy.
He said the driver and passenger of the truck did not sustain any injuries and successfully saved themselves when the motorcycle had caught on fire.
The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.