Update: Death toll in N1 petrol tanker and car crash rises to five

One more person has succumbed to his injuries in hospital following an accident between a petrol tanker and a Kia Picanto on N1 near Polokwane on Tuesday night just before 20h30.

This brings the death toll to five, four people from the car died on the scene as earlier reported by SA Trucker.

“Four people died at the scene and the fifth one later succumbed to injuries in hospital this morning, after midnight,” Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said in a statement.

Mojapelo said all the victims were travelling in the car.

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“The driver of the petrol tanker, which caught fire after the collision and partially burned, was taken to hospital. He was alone in the vehicle.”

The truck fire was put off before it could reach the tanker.

Mojapelo said it was believed that the car, which was northbound, had veered into the opposite lane and collided with the tanker which was travelling south.

Police will conduct further investigations to establish the exact circumstances of the accident, according to Mojapelo.

A case of culpable homicide had been opened.

Police were also still trying to identify those who died, in order to notify their next of kin.