Seven dead in Midlands crash

Seven people were killed and a 9-year-old girl was critically injured when a car collided with a timber truck on the R617 near Underberg in the KZN Midlands on Sunday night.

Berg Protection Services spokesman Brett Deavin said that a Toyota Tazz with eight occupants had hit the timber truck.

“From what we found at the scene the timber truck had pulled onto the R617 from Coleford Road. The car had obviously not seen the trailer of the truck at night‚” he said.

“There were five adults in the car and three children. The adults are employees from the local Spar. The car hit the trailer of the truck at full clip. Seven people‚ including two children‚ died at the scene‚” he added.

KZN EMS spokesman Robert McKenzie said that the surviving child was treated and stabilised at the scene and then rushed to the St Apolinaris state hospital for further urgent care.