Durban - The early morning rains in Durban on Tuesday caused several road crashes that led to a death and scores of other being injured.
In the more serious of the crashes, a truck driver was killed and a passenger seriously injured in a crash on the M7 joining the Umbilo arterial road in Umbilo just after 6am.
Garrith Jamieson, spokesperson for Rescue Care Paramedics said paramedics arrived on the scene to find a truck on its side blocking the entire roadway.
"Paramedics found both the driver and passenger severely entrapped in the wreckage. The Netcare 911 Rescue unit as well as the Durban Fire Department were called to assist with rescue tools. The patients were freed using the jaws of life and other hydraulic equipment," he said.
The driver had sustained major injuries and there was nothing paramedics could do for him and he was declared deceased at the scene.
The passenger had sustained serious injuries and once freed from the wreckage was stabilised by Advanced Life Support Paramedics before being transported to Hospital for the further care that he required.
Two people were hurt after two taxis and a bus collided on Umgeni Road and Linze Road in the city centre on Tuesday. Picture: Rescue Care Paramedics.
The events leading up to the crash is unknown and police are investigating.
In another incident, Jamieson said two people have been hurt after two taxis and a bus collided on Umgeni Road and Linze Road in the city centre.
"Rescue Care Paramedics arrived on the scene to find the badly damaged vehicles in the roadway. Two occupants from the taxi had sustained moderate injuries and were stabilised by Advanced Life Support Paramedics before being transported to a nearby Hospital for the further care that they required.
In another crash, a man has sustained serious injuries after the vehicle he was in rear ended a truck on Hans Dettman Highway near Newton Road around 5.30am.
A man has sustained serious injuries after the vehicle he was in rear ended a truck on Hans Dettman Highway near Newton Road on Tuesday morning. Picture: Rescue Care Paramedics.
"Rescue Care Paramedics arrived on the scene to find that a taxi had rear ended a truck. The front seat passenger was severely entrapped in the wreckage. The Netcare 911 Rescue Vehicle as well as the Durban Fire Department were dispatched to assist with rescue equipment. The Jaws of life as well as other hydraulic equipment was used to free the man. Once freed he was carefully extricated from the wreckage. He was then stabilised on the scene by Advanced Life Support Paramedics before being transported to Hospital for further care, Jamieson said.
The events leading up to the crash was unkown however SAPS were on scene and are investigating.