Easter weekend is already off to a bloody start due to early morning collisions in Mpumalanga and KZN.

Two people died and 13 were seriously injured on the N4  – about 2km from the Middelburg Dam – while two major collisions on the N3 in KZN resulted in over 65 people injured early this morning.

Middelburg Observer reports the fatal collision in the Mpumalanga town occurred at 04:50.

The driver of a taxi seemingly lost control and rolled down the embankment. Two people died instantly.

The forensic department of the police was on the scene.

The fatal incident follows just a few hours after a crash on the N4 outside Belfast at Berg-en-Dal Monument, where five people died on the scene and three were seriously injured. A few hours later, a sixth person succumbed to his injuries.

Trucks collide

The Witness reports that the first of the two collisions on the N3 in KZN took place just after midnight, when two trucks collided.

“Shortly after midnight, Mi7 Emergency Services (EMS) received reports of a major collision involving two trucks on the N3 at the base of Town Hill. One vehicle had veered off the road down an embankment, while the other obstructed both the middle and slow lanes of the highway,” read the report by the Mi7 National Group.

Mi7 National Group dispatched an Advanced Life Support (ALS) rapid response and ambulance to the scene, joined by the Msunduzi Fire Department and other emergency services.

One driver was entrapped in the wreckage.

Mi7 medics and other emergency services managed to stabilise the critically injured driver, while firefighters executed a technical rescue.

Once freed, the driver was transported under ALS care to a nearby hospital. Two additional patients sustained injuries and were also transported to hospital by Mi7 EMS.

The secondary incident was reported as a multi-vehicle pile-up just before 03:00.

Scene described as ‘carnage’

“A second, far more severe collision occurred in the same vicinity, believed to have been caused by residual traffic build-up and debris from the earlier accident. Reports from community WhatsApp groups indicated a bus had rear-ended a container truck, resulting in a pile-up involving at least 15 vehicles including two trucks, two taxis, and approximately 10 other vehicles,” reported Mi7.

Mi7 EMS and other emergency teams responded to a scene described as ‘carnage’, with vehicles scattered across all lanes of the N3. Triage operations were rapidly established by paramedics from multiple services.

A bus passenger was found trapped in the wreckage and had to be extracted with assistance from firefighters.

In total, approximately 65 people were injured:

• One sustained serious injuries
• Three sustained moderate injuries
• 61 sustained minor injuries

Four patients were transported to hospital. The remainder were treated on site and declined further hospitalisation.

All relevant authorities attended the scene and are continuing investigations. The N3 was closed for several hours, with extensive delays into the morning.

With high traffic volumes expected on the N3 this Easter weekend, authorities urged all motorists to exercise extreme caution, maintain safe following distances, and remain alert at all times.

Also read: Easter road safety: Law enforcement targets high-risk routes across SA

Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel.

Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.