N2 freeway cleared for traffic after fire on bridge
The city officially reopened the N2 freeway after the collision of two fuel tankers, causing serious damage on the road.
THE eThekwini Municipality issued a press statement confirming that the N2 freeway had been cleared and structural bridge repairs were completed, after damaged to the structure when two tanker trucks collided yesterday, Tuesday, 4 August.
The fire department was notified of a collision between two trucks on the freeway in the early hours of yesterday morning. The intense inferno resulted in the deployment of four rescue pumps, water-carrying vehicles and command and control units which ultimately extinguished the fire.
eThekwini Municipality’s communications head, Tozi Mthethwa, noted the extent of infrastructural damage. “The fire resulted in the concrete disintegration of the Sarnia Road bridge under surface. Fire Services, with assistance from the Metro Police Unit, closed both carriageways of the N2 given the extent of the incident and the damage to the overhead bridge,” Mthethwa said.
She added that engineers from the South African National Roads Agency and the city were called to do an assessment of the structural stability of the bridge and to determine whether its condition posed an intolerable risk to traffic on the N2 should it be opened. Repairs to the concrete were completed and the freeway was cleared for traffic late yesterday.
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