N1 highway closed after bus catches fire

A total of 35 passengers sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate, most including smoke inhalation burns and soft tissue injuries, after a bus caught fire on the N1 highway by New Road in Midrand.

The City of Johannesburg Fire Department and multiple Emer-G-Med ambulances and advanced life support response vehicles are still at the scene.

Motorists can expect heavy delays as the highway has been closed.

Spokesperson of Emer-G-Med, Max Cohen said, “31 patients will be transported by Emer-G-Med and the four others by other private ambulance services to various nearby medical facilities.”

It’s believed that the bus was travelling on the highway when the passengers started to complain of smoke in the cabin, shortly thereafter the bus caught alight.

The passengers broke open windows and managed to escape from the burning bus.

At this stage no fatalities have been reported.

Follow @MidrandReporter and @thuli_sunshine for more updates.

More updates will follow.

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