A truck driver is lucky to be alive after his rig caught fire during a multiple-vehicle pile-up on the N3 near Peacevale on Sunday evening.
The crash happened at about 19:30 on the Pietermaritzburg-bound carriageway when a truck reportedly lost control and ploughed into three vehicles and another truck before bursting into flames.
ALS Paramedics say crews based at Hibiscus Cato Ridge Hospital had to travel contraflow as the southbound lane was completely blocked off by the wreckage. When they arrived, they were met with chaos — one truck engulfed in flames and several mangled vehicles strewn across the highway.
Ethekwini Fire Department rushed in to battle the blaze while paramedics treated the injured on scene. Two truck drivers sustained moderate injuries while another motorist suffered minor injuries. All three were stabilised and taken to hospital for further care.
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“The fact that the driver of the burning truck managed to escape with his life is nothing short of a miracle,” said one responder at the scene.
The Pietermaritzburg-bound lanes of the N3 remained closed for hours as emergency teams cleared the wreck and dampened hotspots from the blaze.
At this stage, the exact cause of the crash remains unclear. SAPS and RTI officers were on scene and have launched investigations.
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