GOPENG - One person was killed and 13 others injured in a three-vehicle accident on Malaysia's North-South Expressway near Gopeng, Perak, on Wednesday (Dec 6).

According to The Star, a spokesman for the Fire and Rescue Department said a double-decker bus is believed to have rammed into the back of a trailer transporting paper.

The bus was also hit from the rear when a container lorry travelling behind it could not stop in time.

Among the victims were 12 passengers of the express bus, which is believed to have been travelling from Singapore to Ipoh, said S. Ganeson, head of operations from the Simpang Pulai Fire and Rescue Department, reported national news agency Bernama.

The spokesman quoted by The Star said: "Rescuers who arrived at the scene after receiving a distress call at about 5.40am on Wednesday found the three male and nine female passengers still inside the bus with serious injuries.

"The bus driver managed to pull himself out of the wreckage," he added.

According to Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao, the injured were all taken to hospital but one of them died later.