A truck driver has tragically lost his life after a heavy motor vehicle crash on the N1 northbound in Pretoria on Tuesday afternoon.
The accident happened at around 16:30 on Tuesday afternoon just after the Lynnwood Road onramp, when an interlink truck reportedly suffered a burst on the front right tyre. According to information from the scene, the driver lost control of the vehicle shortly after the tyre failure.
The truck veered off its path and collided with a centre lamppost, resulting in severe damage to the vehicle. Emergency services rushed to the scene, but the driver sustained fatal injuries.
Members of the Tshwane Emergency Services Department had to use specialised rescue equipment to extricate the driver from the wreckage.
The impact of the crash also caused the truck’s load of bricks to spill across the roadway. Bricks scattered onto the N1 southbound lanes, blocking two lanes in both directions and creating major traffic congestion during the afternoon peak hour.
Motorists travelling through the area experienced significant delays as authorities worked to secure the scene and clear the roadway.
Due to the fatal nature of the crash, members of the South African Police Service and the SAPS Tshwane/Pretoria Accident Unit were called in to conduct a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Volunteers from the Old East Safety Forum also responded to the scene, assisting with traffic control, scene safety and later helping with debris clearance once investigators had completed their work.
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the deceased driver, pending notification of next of kin. Investigations into the cause of the tyre burst and the crash are ongoing.
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