Traffic along the westbound carriageway of the East Coast Expressway 1 (LPT1) came to a standstill for nearly an hour on Monday evening after a log lorry overturned, spilling its timber load across the highway and blocking the route towards Kuala Lumpur.
Maran District Police Chief Superintendent Wong Kim Wai said the incident occurred at approximately 5.10pm at Kilometre 136.2 of LPT1. The affected stretch was temporarily closed while highway concession workers cleared the debris from the road before it was safely reopened to motorists.
Initial investigations revealed that the Mercedes lorry was travelling from Lanchang towards Jengka when the driver is believed to have lost control of the vehicle. The lorry veered off course, crashed into the central road barrier and overturned, causing its cargo of logs to scatter across the carriageway.
The fallen timber completely obstructed the westbound lanes, prompting authorities to temporarily shut the route as heavy machinery was deployed to remove the logs and restore safe traffic flow. Incidents involving heavy vehicles carrying large loads can create significant disruption, highlighting the importance of secure cargo handling and road safety.
Despite the dramatic crash, the lorry driver escaped with only minor injuries and was taken to Hospital Jengka for medical treatment.
Superintendent Wong said the case is being investigated under Rule 10 of the Road Traffic Rules 1959 (LN 166/59), adding that the exact cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Police are urging anyone who witnessed the incident or has information that could assist investigators to contact the investigating officer at 011-62262479 or visit the nearest police station.
