A man was burnt to death when his nephew crashed their car on Saturday night in what an eyewitness described as ”a race with a tow-truck”.
ER24 spokesperson Neil Noble said the Ford Sierra hit a traffic sign on the M41, crossed the median and collided with oncoming traffic.
The car caught alight on impact. The driver was thrown, burning, from the vehicle, but his passenger — believed to be his uncle — burnt to death inside.
The flames consuming the driver were put out by other drivers using a fire extinguisher. They then dragged him 30m from the car.
He sustained third-degree burns to 80% of his body and was placed on a ventilator in the Umhlanga hospital, said Noble.
Six other people sustained minor injuries in the incident.
Eyewitnesses apparently saw the Ford Sierra racing a tow-truck towards Umhlanga moments before the accident.
”If those bystanders hadn’t pulled him [the driver] away, he would have died,” said Noble.
It is believed the driver is in his late 20s.
Police comment was not immediately available. — Sapa