Traffic is still being heavily disrupted on the N11 in the Kranspoort Pass between Middelburg and Groblersdal after a serious crash involving two trucks caused a hazardous chemical spill and a raging fire on Saturday night.
Clean-up operations have been underway since the early hours, but as of 13h00 on Sunday, the road remains partially closed. Hazmat teams are working tirelessly to remove the spilled sulphur that ran down the embankments and ignited during the crash, creating toxic fumes and starting a veldfire in the process.
Authorities have warned motorists to expect long delays and possible full closures as the scene remains extremely dangerous. The wreckage of both trucks is still lying in the pass, and responders say the clean-up may take several more hours, if not days, due to the hazardous nature of the material involved.
According to first responders, the fire created noxious fumes that spread through the pass and into surrounding areas.
Watch: N11 Closed at Kranspoort Pass as Sulphur Truck Overturns Sparking Massive Hazmat Emergency
By Sunday morning, two lanes had been reopened to allow limited traffic through, but motorists report chaos, saying there is no traffic control in place, leaving vehicles from both directions to navigate the scene on their own. This has raised fresh concerns about secondary accidents.
Environmental officials are also on site, assessing the damage caused by the sulphur spillage to the surrounding ecosystem.
Authorities are urging all drivers who normally use the N11 through Kranspoort Pass to avoid the area entirely and use alternative routes if possible. Clean-up teams say they are doing everything possible to stabilise the area and fully reopen the road, but safety remains the top priority.
Watch the video of the cleanup operation below:
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