Authorities are investigating the cause of a devastating multi-vehicle crash that claimed the lives of four people on the R555 between eMalahleni and Middelburg in Mpumalanga on Monday night.
According to provincial officials, the collision occurred after an articulated truck allegedly lost control before crashing into another vehicle. The truck subsequently burst into flames, triggering a chain-reaction crash involving several other vehicles.
In total, nine vehicles were involved in the collision, including the articulated truck, four light delivery vehicles (LDVs), one sport utility vehicle (SUV) and three other motor vehicles.
The impact of the crash left four people dead, while five others sustained serious injuries.
Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison spokesperson Moeti Mmusi said the injured victims were transported to hospitals in eMalahleni and Middelburg, where they are receiving medical treatment.
"The injured are currently receiving medical treatment at nearby hospitals in eMalahleni and Middelburg. The crash involved nine vehicles, including an articulated truck, four light delivery vehicles, one SUV and other motor vehicles. The investigation into this crash is already underway," said Mmusi.
The R555 was temporarily closed to traffic as emergency services attended to the scene and cleared the wreckage.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact circumstances that led to the fatal collision.