Durban - REPORTS on social media about the N3 multiple vehicle crash on Monday night were factually incorrect.
Some Facebook users in particular, reported that many people had died and there were limbs strewn all over.
Emergency services personnel at the scene said no one died at the crash site and there were “definitely no limbs severed during the incident”.
Life Response 24/7 operations manager Leon Fourie said the pile-up on the N3 under Spine Road bridge was actually two separate crashes.
He said after 6.15pm, a three-vehicle crash took place under the bridge. About 35 minutes later, three trucks ploughed into the wreckage from the first crash.
“On arrival, we found three trucks and seven cars involved in a serious accident. There were 10 people injured and five needed advanced life support. One person was placed on a manual ventilator,” he said. Fourie said one person, a man, was critically injured and taken by ambulance to a hospital because the Netcare 911 helicopter could not land at the scene.
“This afternoon (Tuesday), the hospital said he was still in a critical condition but was stable and had just come out of theatre,” said Fourie.
The man had been involved in the first crash.
Along with various emergency services, the SAPS, metro police and eThekwini Fire and Rescue were also at the scene.
Metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Parboo Sewpersad said the crash scene was cleared around midnight.
“It is alleged that a horse and trailer slipped on the wet surface and collided into a vehicle (city fleet) travelling in the same direction and the rest of the vehicles piled up,” said Sewpersad, adding a case of reckless and negligent driving had been opened at Westville police station.
Daily News