/ 16 December 2008

M1 still shut after paint-truck accident

Motorists should avoid travelling on the M1 North on Tuesday following an accident involving a paint truck, metro police said.

”The rain has hampered the cleaning up of the paint on the M1 North freeway [highway] at the Empire Road offramp.

”The freeway [highway] is still closed,” said metro police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar.

On Monday a 26-wheeler paint truck overturned leaving 400m of the highway covered in white paint.

Minnaar said on Tuesday that one lane was created to contraflow on to the opposite side of the highway.

However, he said motorists were still advised to avoid the M1 North and rather use the N1 or N3.

The 26-year-old driver of the truck was rescued by paramedics and firefighters who used the Jaws of Life to pry open a small gap between the roof of the truck and the road surface to get him out.

He is in a serious condition in hospital. — Sapa