Woman burnt to death in Penang car crash (Updated)

GEORGE TOWN: It was a fiery Wednesday in Penang after three cars caught fire in three separate incidents at three locations in the state.

Unfortunately one of the incidents claimed the life of a 42-year-old woman who succumbed to her injuries during the 2.30am incident.

Central Seberang Prai district police chief ACP Nik Ros Azhan Nik Abd Hamid said the victim was trapped inside the car after crashing into the Bukit Tengah flyover.

He said Tan Meng Ai was believed to have lost control of her vehicle, hit the road divider and ploughed into the opposite direction before the car caught on fire.

"She was trapped inside and was burned, she suffered serious injuries and died at the scene," he said in a statement.

The body of Tan has been sent to the Seberang Perai Hospital for a post mortem.

In an unrelated incident, a car on the mainland bound lane caught fire at KM0.5 of the Penang Bridge shortly after rush hour.

No one was injured during the 9.40am incident and the blaze was put out by firemen from the Perai Fire and Rescue Services Department using foam.

Traffic at that part of the bridge was understood to have slowed down as road users moved away from the site while some slowed down to look.

The fire also generated considerable buzz among netizens as videos and pictures of the incident have been widely circulated on social media.

Earlier at 6.35am, a car was destroyed after it suddenly caught fire at Jalan Scotland near here.

The fire was put out about 8am by firemen from the Jalan Perak Fire and Rescue Services Department.

No casualties were reported in the incident and the causes for both fires, at the Penang Bridge and at Jalan Scotland, are still under investigation.