According to the Mi7 National Group, emergency services were dispatched to the N3 between Peter Brown Drive and Chatterton Road on the Durban-bound carriageway at around 03:00 yesterday.

On Facebook, Mi7 described what they found when they arrived at the scene:

“The accident scene comprised three separate incidents, each about 100m apart on the same side of the carriageway.

“The first involved a tipper truck and a car which had collided. Two patients from this scene were treated and transported to hospital with minor injuries. Three other occupants were also assessed and found with no injuries.

At the second incident, it is believed that initially a truck had overturned, partially obstructing the right lane on the highway. An RTI officer and members of a construction company were conducting prewarning traffic control when the collision occurred.

It is believed the collision resulted in a multiple vehicle pileup, which included a full-boarded taxi.

The collision resulted in several vehicles being set ablaze, with Pietermaritzburg firefighters battling the flames for several hours. Unfortunately, 15 people who were in the taxi were entrapped in the wreckage when it caught a light. All 15 occupants were declared deceased on scene.

At the third, a taxi had crashed with another motor vehicle. Eight patients were left with injuries and were treated and transported to various hospitals by several service providers.

Mi7 rescue teams remained behind to assist Pietermaritzburg firefighters (and additional teams from other areas) and the Pietermaritzburg police’s Search and Rescue teams to extricate the deceased from the wreckage.

The scene was only cleared around midday, after hours of intensive work by all stakeholders involved.”