N3 Eastbound still closed at Shongweni after multi-vehicle crash, trucker seriously injured

A truck driver was seriously injured in a multi-vehicle crash involving seven trucks and some cars on the N3 eastbound just after Shongweni off-ramp last night.

A total of seven trucks were involved in the fiery crash on Friday evening just after 18h30.

The N3 eastbound remains closed as clean-up operations continue. Traffic is being redirected to the M13 at Shongweni off-ramp.

Emergency personnel rushed to the scene of the multi-vehicle crash ivolving a petrol tanker and several other vehicles on the N3 between Shongweni and the Mariannhill toll plaza.

Preliminary reports suggest that the driver of the petrol tanker lost control of the truck before crashing into six other trucks.

Several trucks, including a car career truck and a side tipper interlink, caught fire upon collision.

ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said the entire Durban-bound N3 carriageway had been closed to allow emergency response teams to attend to the incident.

“ALS Paramedics are currently on the scene of a horrific multi-vehicle and multi-truck accident on the N3 Durban-bound just after the Shongweni off-ramp towards the Marriannhill Toll Plaza.

“At this stage, the entire Durban bound carriageway is closed, multiple trucks are on fire,” he said last night.

He said that one person serously injured, he was airlifted to hospital in critical condition.

No fatalities were reported in the crash.

N3 closed for hours

About 12 hours after the accident, the N3 remains closed as mop-up operations continue.

As at 06h00, eastbound traffic was backed up for kilometres while N3 Pietermaritzburg bound traffic is flowing.

Authorities could not give the time the clean-up operations would be finished.

You May Also Like

Motorists Warned Of A Sinkhole Developing On R31 Between Danielskuil And Kuruman

The Kgatelopele Local Municipality in the Northern Cape is urging motorists to…

Truck Driver Strike: N3 Closed Between Montrose And Harrismith

The truck driver strike against the employment of foreign nationals which started…