Three burn to death in 17-vehicle pile-up on the N3 near Heidelberg

Three people were burned beyond recognition and four others were hospitalised after a multiple vehicle pile-up on the N3 north at the R550 interchange between Heidelberg and Vosloorus on Tuesday afternoon.

Ekurhuleni Emergency Services spokesperson William Ntladi said six articulating trucks and 11 light motor vehicles were involved in the accident. Three of the articulating trucks, two pick-up trucks and three sedans caught alight, Kempton Express reported.

Two occupants in one of the pick-up trucks and one occupant from an articulating truck were trapped and burned to death inside their vehicles.

Ntladi said rescue teams from Heidelberg and Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services collectively battled the blaze and used specialised rescue tools to recover the deceased from the wrecks.

Both directions of the freeway were closed to traffic for the duration of the rescue operations. Traffic was diverted onto R103 road (Old Heidelberg Road).

Ntladi said preliminary reports revealed that smoke from a grass fire that was blowing across the freeway and obscuring the vision of road users led to the accident.

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