Three people have been killed and several others injured following a horrific crash on the N3 Durban-bound, just before the Shongweni off-ramp west of Durban.
ALS Paramedics responded to the scene shortly after 09:15 on Wednesday morning, where emergency crews were met with what they described as chaos and carnage. A bakkie was found engulfed in flames, prompting the immediate dispatch of the eThekwini Fire Department.
According to ALS Paramedics, it is believed that a truck and a bakkie collided, after which the bakkie struck roadside barriers where construction workers were operating and burst into flames. The truck then lost control, veering across the centre median, through the northbound carriageway and down an embankment.
The truck driver sustained moderate injuries, while four construction workers suffered various injuries. All injured patients were stabilised at the scene by ALS Paramedics before being transported to a nearby hospital for further medical care.
Three occupants of the bakkie sustained fatal injuries and were declared dead at the scene. Paramedics said there was nothing that could be done to save them.
The N3 Durban-bound carriageway has been closed and is expected to remain shut for some time as emergency services and investigators work at the scene.
The circumstances leading up to the crash remain unclear. South African Police Service (SAPS) and Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) officials were in attendance and have launched an investigation into the incident.