2 killed as truck overturns on slope

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File Photo: Bongiwe Mchunu

Cape Town - Two men were killed on Monday when a truck overturned on the N7 near Klawer, on the West Coast.

The crash was reported at 9am and the two men were declared dead on the scene.

The spokeswoman for Western Cape emergency services, Keri Davids, said one man had been found lying on the road near the truck.

“The cab of the truck was found burning. Local fire and rescue officers extinguished the burning vehicle and EMS rescuers from Cape Town responded with a heavy-duty crane truck to assist with the extrication of patients trapped inside the cab of the truck,” she said.

Davids added rescuers were not sure if one of the dead men was travelling in the truck or was outside the truck when the crash happened.

“The heavy-duty truck rolled approximately 30m down a steep slope. One man was found outside of the truck. The vehicle was on its roof. A second man was recovered from the cab and was also declared dead,” Davids said.

The crash comes after eight people were killed on the province’s roads at the weekend.

Dozens of arrests were also made - including 26 for drunk driving - and fines totalling R133 200 were issued for traffic violations.

Provincial traffic chief Kenny Africa confirmed an incident on the N1 in the Karoo in which four people were killed when a truck collided with a bakkie.

The crash occurred between Leeu-Gamka and Laingsburg at about 7am on Monday.

All three occupants of the bakkie died, as well as the driver of the truck. Passengers in the truck were slightly injured.

Africa said the area was a hot spot for crashes and would be monitored carefully over the Easter holiday period.

yolisa.tswanya@inl.co.za

Cape Argus