Motorists warned of N3 gridlock after tanker explosion

Holiday-makers planning to travel to KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday ahead of the long weekend have been advised to delay their trip by a few hours.

This comes as clean-up operations are starting to take place on the N3 freeway outside Pietermaritzburg following a fiery truck accident on Monday in which two people died.

 The highway has been closed since Monday afternoon‚ creating kilometres of backlogged trucks.

 Provincial traffic authorities have warned that it will remain closed to traffic for at least half of Tuesday.

A tanker carrying ethanol collided with at least three construction vehicles on the N3‚ setting off a fire that burnt for about five hours.

On Tuesday morning‚ KZN Road Traffic Inspectorate spokeswoman Zinhle Mngomezulu said that motorists heading into Durban – including those heading down for Freedom Day – should wait until the road was clear before leaving.

“I suggest that they should delay their travels until the road is clear. The freeway remains closed‚ and there is too

much congestion on the alterative route‚” she said.

Mngomezulu said the remaining ethanol had been decanted‚ but that this was just the first step in getting the road open.

“It’s a process. The decant has been completed‚ and now a breakdown [truck] will have to move the tanker. Then then clean-up will start. When that is done‚ an expert will have to check to see if the road is safe for motorists. Then the stacked trucks will be released‚ and only then will the road be open to motorists again.

“I expect it to be at least another four or five hours. I believe that‚ after luck‚ it’ll be open‚” she said.