[CHASE VALLEY] Six trucks in three collisions on the N3

The N3, near the Peter Brown turn-off, north of Pietermaritzburg, was closed for about an hour last night after a truck rolled across the south-bound freeway and a light motor vehicle collided with it. Two secondary collisions involving five trucks, each about 100m further up from each other, then occurred. Five people were confirmed injured, one critically, four seriously.

ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene at 1:50am along with other private and provincial services. The driver of the light motor vehicle in the initial collision was found to have suffered critical injuries and was treated and transported by another service. ER24, PMB Fire and SAPS Search & Rescue pulled together for a two hour extraction of an entrapped 31-year-old male who had suffered serious injuries from the second collision between two trucks. He was treated with Advanced Life Support interventions before being transported to Northdale Hospital for further care. A further three seriously injured patients were treated and transported by other services on the scene.

The Traffic Department as well as the South African Police Services were on the scene for further investigations.