Tragic Chatsworth crash claims life of man in fiery vehicle blaze
A man believed to be in his forties tragically lost his life in a horrific crash on the M1 Higginson Highway Eastbound, just before the Havenside robots in Chatsworth, on Saturday evening.
ALS Paramedics reported that the incident occurred just before 6pm. Multiple ambulances and advanced life support teams responded to the scene.
“Initial reports were that a vehicle had somehow lost control and collided with a tree before the vehicle burst into flames,” ALS Paramedics Garrith Jamieson said.
On arrival, paramedics found that the vehicle was already on fire, and the eThekwini Fire Department was actively working to extinguish the blaze.
“The driver, believed to be the only occupant in the vehicle, unfortunately, was unable to get out of the vehicle in time and passed away on the scene,” the paramedics said.
Divisional Commander Nkulumo Dube of eThekwini Municipality Fire & Emergency Services confirmed that a fire engine was dispatched just before 6pm on Saturday to attend to the crash, where firefighters found a bakkie engulfed in flames after colliding with trees.
“It was reported that the driver was entrapped in the vehicle,” Dube stated, adding that the fire was extinguished using a high-pressure hose reel, but the occupant was declared deceased on the scene by Amawele Ambulance Services.
“Due to the extent of the fire damage, no further details could be established regarding the identity of the deceased or the vehicle particulars,” Dube said.
The cause of the crash is currently unknown. However, both the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Metro Police were present and are investigating the circumstances that led to the crash.
In a separate incident on Sunday morning in Durban, the eThekwini Fire and Emergency Services responded to a vehicle fire at the corner of Currie Road and Sandile Thusi Road.
According to a report compiled by Divisional Commander Dube, the fire department received a report of the incident and immediately dispatched a fire engine to the scene.
“Upon arrival, within minutes of the call, firefighters found a light motor vehicle fully engulfed in flames,” Dube stated.
The fire was “promptly and effectively extinguished using,” he confirmed. Fortunately, no injuries were reported at the scene.
“At this stage, the cause of the fire remains undetermined,” Dube added.
Investigations into both incidents are ongoing.