A COLLISION between two factory buses and a factory van claimed eight lives and injured 35 near the Juru toll plaza in Bukit Mertajam, Seberang Prai, Penang, early today.

The dead are all women factory workers.

The Penang Fire and Rescue Department was alerted about the accident on the North-South Expressway in Seberang Prai at 6.02am.

When its officers arrived at the scene at Km147 of the PLUS highway at 6.20am, eight people were already dead.

The vehicles, all transporting factory workers, were heading north.

“All the injured victims have been sent to Sungai Bakap and Seberang Jaya hospitals,” the statement shared said.

The rescue operation involved personnel from the Prai, Sungai Bakap, Perda, and Nibong Tebal fire stations and volunteer firemen from Berapit, police and hospitals.

The accident caused a massive traffic jam on the highway during peak morning travel time. – October 24, 2017.