A man was killed after his vehicle slammed into a bridge pillar on the N4 East in Pretoria East on Tuesday afternoon.

According to the Volunteer Emergency Medical Response Unit (VEMRU) spokesperson Casper Visser, emergency responders were called to the serious single-vehicle collision beneath Simon Vermooten Road in the Equestria area at about 14:30.

VEMRU said responders arrived to find a vehicle that had collided with a bridge pillar at what appeared to be high speed.

The driver, a man believed to be in his late 40s, was heavily entrapped in the driver’s seat.

“On assessment, the patient did not show any signs of life and was declared deceased,” VEMRU said.

VEMRU members assisted City of Tshwane firefighters in extricating the deceased from the wreckage using specialised hydraulic rescue equipment, commonly known as the Jaws of Life.

The scene was later handed over to the SAPS, which will investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision.

Traffic on the N4 was delayed for several hours while emergency services attended to the scene.

Emer-G-Med, Netcare 911, Emergency Medical Solutions, City of Tshwane Emergency Services, National Traffic Police, Gauteng Traffic Police, Tshwane Metro Police Department and SAPS also assisted at the scene.

VEMRU extended its condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased.