Two people have been killed and 17 others injured following a head-on collision on the N3, near the Church Street Bridge in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, on Thursday night, paramedics said.
ALS Paramedics spokesperson, Garrith Jamieson, said the crash occurred on the north-bound carriageway.
“When paramedics arrived at the scene, they found that two bakkies collided head-on before both vehicles overturned,” he said adding that passengers had been ejected onto the roadway.
Jamieson said 17 people were treated at the scene for moderate to critical injuries before they were rushed to medical facilities for further care.
"Unfortunately, two males believed to be in their 30s sustained fatal injuries, and they were declared deceased on the scene," he said.
The opposite roadway, the north-bound carriageway was closed to traffic while emergency teams worked to clear the scene.
“At this stage, the events leading up to the collision are unknown however the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) were in attendance and will be investigating further,” Jamieson said.
Earlier in the day, seven learners were injured when a truck and minibus taxi collided in Ohrtmann Road in PMB.
Jamieson said the learners were stabilised at the scene before they were rushed to a nearby PMB hospital for further treatment. Other learners, also injured in the crash, were rushed to hospital prior to the arrival of emergency teams.
IOL