Dashcam footage of a diesel tanker crashing on the N3 northbound just after the Peter Brown Avenue offramp has surfaced online, showing the terrifying moment the truck flipped in the middle of flowing traffic.
The video, captured by a vehicle travelling behind the tanker, shows the heavy vehicle in its final seconds before disaster struck.
In the clip, the tanker appears to briefly roll back before suddenly losing stability and flipping sideways across the lanes.
Within seconds, the massive truck is lying on its side, completely blocking the roadway.
A white bakkie narrowly misses collision with the tanker and manages to pass the overturning truck.
Other motorists can be seen braking hard as the tanker comes down, narrowly avoiding further collisions.
The incident brought traffic on the busy N3 northbound carriageway to a standstill for several hours.
Authorities were forced to close the northbound carriageway for a period while recovery teams worked to upright and remove the overturned tanker.
Emergency crews also had to deal with diesel spillage on the road surface, which posed an additional hazard to passing vehicles.
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Clean-up operations took several hours as specialised teams ensured the scene was made safe before traffic could be allowed through again.
Heavy trucks were forced to stack at the scene while other vehicles used alternatives via Pietermaritzburg.
At this stage, the exact cause of the crash remains unknown.
Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of any injuries from the accident.
Watch the video below:
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