Five die in car pile-up on R59

CAR THAT CAUSED ACCIDENT DROVE AWAY Several vehicles in knock-on front-rear collisions at 2.45am.

Police are searching for an unidentified vehicle that allegedly caused a pile-up in which five people were killed instantly and two more critically injured in Alberton, Ekurhuleni, in the early hours of yesterday, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said.

RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane said “five vehicles were involved in a multiple-vehicle, frontrear type of crash”.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that one of the vehicles was driving slowly in the left lane when an unidentified vehicle hit into it from the rear, causing all the vehicles in front to collide.

“The unidentified vehicle drove off,” Zwane said.

The RTMC had initiated an investigations to establish the precise cause of the crash. The vehicles had already been examined to determine if they had mechanical faults that could have contributed to the crash, Zwane said.

Ekurhuleni disaster and emergency management services (DEMS) spokesperson William Ntladi said DEMS had responded to a crash alarm on the R59 freeway northbound just before the Swartkoppies turn-off at about 2.45am.

Six occupants were found still trapped inside the wreck of a hatchback.

“Five occupants, including the driver, were declared deceased, while the sixth, with critical injuries, was transported to a medical facility.

“One other patient was hospitalised with critical injuries, as well as the driver from the other hatchback vehicle.”

A rescue team from emergency services had to use specialised rescue tools to recover the dead and injured from the wrecked vehicle.

An inquest docket had been opened with the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department. – ANA