Six people lost their lives this morning when an articulated truck collided with two motor vehicles on the N17 near the Devon off ramp close to the Delmas area.

Paramedics from ER24 and Mpumalanga Fire and Rescue Services arrived at the incident shortly after 05:00 where they found the victims scattered across the scene.

Werner Vermaak, ER24 spokesperson provided the following details regarding the accident:

One of the vehicles was completely ripped apart and all of its occupants were ejected during the collision. Three adults were found near the truck with fatal injuries and declared dead.

A few meters away in a veld, paramedics found another vehicle with a woman trapped inside of it. Two other occupants, believed to be her husband and son (late teens), were found close to the vehicle. All three of them showed no signs of life and were declared dead. The local fire and rescue services had to use hydraulic rescue equipment to free her from the wreckage.

The driver of the articulated truck was found walking around on the scene. He sustained no physical injuries and was clearly in shock.

The exact cause of the incident is not yet known and will be investigated by the local authorities. The N17 highway was closed off for commuters while investigators attended the scene.