At least three people died on the N3 highway near Montrose in the Free State after a truck and car collided and caught fire on Friday morning.
Netcare911 tweeted: “An adult and two children have died after a truck collided with a vehicle on the N3 in Harrismith”.
The truck driver reportedly escaped the fire.
The busy highway was closed in both directions and traffic was being diverted around the scene of the accident.
The N3 Toll Concession advised motorists to avoid the area: “08h55 #Alert: We suggest that travelling be delayed due to a major crash near Montrose. Huge backlog on scene. N3 7X 10.0 S (DBN Bound)”.
It later tweeted that it couldn’t give a timeframe on when the road would reopen.
Rob Byrne of @TrafficSA tweeted a video clip of the blaze:
Free State - N3 Route (Update): #TruckFire at Montrose: RT @uAsanda_ @TrafficSA @AndileMayisela @N3Route https://t.co/7aX60i4jTq
@N3Route had earlier tweeted that: “#VehiclesOnFire @ N3 7X 10.0 S (DBN Bound) near Montrose. 1 LMV & 1 HMV involved. Entire road closed. Traffic moving past the scene.”
South-bound traffic on the N3 had reached volumes of up to 1660 vehicles per hour ahead of the crash‚ while up to 600 north-bound vehicles were reported to be passing through the Tugela Plaza. Graham Marsden @graham_marsden tweeted a pic of the fire: “@N3Route Truck on fire at Montrose Shell Garage. Slowing traffic dramatically in both directions”.
USheriff @Melody_Miya posted a photo of the crash scene and identified the model of car trapped beneath the truck:
It could not be established at the time of publication whether there were any fatalities or injuries.
– TMG Digital
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