N3 closed in Joburg as bridge collapses

The N3 freeway in Johannesburg is likely to be closed for at least all of Wednesday, seemingly after a truck crashed into a pedestrian bridge, causing it to collapse.

The incident took place at the Geldenhuys interchange on the N3 in Germiston in the early hours of Wednesday. According to a statement by the Ekurhuleni municipality, five people were injured.

"On arrival, it was found that four vehicles, three trucks and a sedan, had crashed into the concrete bridge lying across both the north- and southbound lanes of the freeway. A total of five patients were accounted for from all vehicles," said the statement posted on the municipality's Facebook page.

A female passenger who had been travelling in one truck was trapped inside the cab for about two hours while rescue teams battled to extricate her from the wreckage, the municipality said.

Also among the injured was the driver of the truck, an adult woman and a seven-year-old girl. They were all taken to hospital.

"The freeway is still closed for traffic in both directions and motorists are advised to avoid using the N3 freeway through the Geldenhuys interchange as it will take time to clear up the debris," the statement said.

The actual cause of the bridge collapse is still to be determined.