About 11 people burnt to death on Thursday in an accident involving a taxi in Isipingo near Durban, KwaZulu-Natal police said.
Spokesperson Inspector Rani John said the accident happened on Old Main Road and Umbumbulu Road when a taxi and truck collided.
”The taxi was coming from Old Main Road towards Orient Drive and the truck was travelling from Illovo. The taxi pulled off from Orient Drive and tried to go across the robot at the same time that the truck was crossing the robot from the other side,” said John.
”The two collided and the taxi got caught on to a frame of the truck and both hit the robot. The taxi was dragged by the truck for about 15m and came to a stop when it hit a lamp post.”
John said the taxi then caught alight. ”Four passengers at the back of the taxi kicked the glass out and managed to escape. The driver of the taxi also ran out, but the rest of the passengers burnt to death.”
John said she could not say exactly how many people died in the fire as bodies were being pulled out in pieces.
”Earlier on the way to the scene, we heard 11 people, but now we are not so sure. It could be more or less,” she said.
She added that the passengers in the front and back of the truck managed to escape uninjured, while the truck driver fled the scene.
”We can’t really say who caused the accident because the robot on one side was amber and on the other side it was red,” said John. — Sapa