Michael Sakuneka

Michael Sakuneka

Two people were killed and a driver seriously injured when a bakery truck plunged down a collapsed bridge at GaSelwane village near Phalaborwa on Friday.

The bridge collapsed following a devastating hailstorm that lashed the area on Thursday and Friday.

Heavy rains flooded most areas of Phalaborwa, sweeping away the bridge that links the village and others in the BaPhalaborwa Municipality.

The storms have also damaged the roofs of several houses in the area and neighbouring Mashishimale and Maseke villages.

Emergency officials said the driver was with his two assistants when the incident happened. They apparently failed to notice that the bridge had been swept away. The road was full of water.

The two assistants died on the spot while the driver managed to free himself from the wreckage.

The driver was found with injuries after a long and massive search by members of the disaster management team from the municipality.

BaPhalaborwa municipal spokesman Elliot Ramachela said the names of the deceased will be announced today after their next-of-kin had been notified.