Three people were killed after a truck and a trailer overturned on a car on the N1 at the Koeberg Interchange in Maitland yesterday.
The driver of the truck sustained serious injuries, was taken to hospital and later died.
City Traffic Services spokesperson Maxine Bezuidenhout said the cause of the crash is yet to be determined.
ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said paramedics found the driver of the truck hanging partially outside his vehicle.
“The man was quickly extricated from the vehicle and assessed. The man had sustained a serious head injury and was in a critical condition.”
The driver of the truck was immediately treated for his injuries and provided with advanced life support interventions. Once treated, the man was transported to Vincent Pallotti Hospital for urgent care, where he later died.
Meiring said: “Metro rescue services had to use a specialised crane to remove the container off the light motor vehicle, an operation lasting some time.
“Once the container had been lifted, paramedics found the bodies of two men lying trapped inside their vehicle. Unfortunately, both men had already succumbed to their multiple injuries.
“Nothing more could be done for them and they were declared dead. Local authorities were on the scene to determine the exact cause of the collision,” said Meiring.
Motorists were advised to utilise the Koeberg Interchange to get back on to the N1 coming into Cape Town.
Five hours later the road had been cleared and reopened.