Four people have died and about 50 others sustained serious injuries, after a fuel tanker allegedly crashed into a stationary bus on the N1 Northbound near Maubane, in Pretoria North, near the Carousel Toll Plaza.
According to the City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department, the accident was reported at about 07:09, and firefighting resources were immediately dispatched from Temba Fire Station, Wonderboom Fire Station, and Rosslyn Fire Station to the scene.
The department said these included two fire engines, a water carrier, a water tanker, a rapid intervention unit, a video unit and a district commander’s unit.
“Upon arrival, firefighters found out that a bus carrying multiple passengers, and a diesel tanker truck with only one occupant, were involved in a collision and both vehicles were fully involved in fire.
The diesel tanker was empty, and firefighters immediately began with firefighting operations.
They helped to extinguish the fire on both vehicles that were extensively damaged because of the collision,” said Lindsay Mnguni.
Furthermore, Mnguni said firefighters from Bela-Bela Local Municipality Fire Brigade Services were also dispatched to the scene with a fire engine and a rapid intervention unit and they assisted with firefighting and other incident operations.
“A total of 118 patients, including 117 from the bus; and one from the diesel tanker truck, were affected by the crash but there were no entrapments.
Sadly however, four patients suffered fatal injuries when the collision occurred.
The other surviving patients were classified as follows, one patient was critically injured, eight additional others sustained minor to severe injuries, the other 104 patients did not sustain any injuries,” said City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department, Lindsay Mnguni.
He said the patients were transported to the nearby Bela-Bela Hospital and Jubilee District Hospital.
The N1 Highway was closed on both carriageways for safety during the various operations, and police are still investigating the cause of the accident.
