Reports reaching this publication indicates that at least 12 people have died this morning in KwazuluNatal, South African as a fuel tanker crashed with a minibus taxi.

Emergency service’s Robbert McKenzie confirmed with local media adding that the accident occurred on the R33 near Wartburg outside Pietermaritzburg.

“Tragically 12 people have sustained fatal injuries while paramedics are still treating two critical patients,” said McKenzie.

The road is currently still closed while emergency services work to clean up the spillage caused by the truck, a tanker, which was carrying petrol and diesel.

ER24’s Russel Meiring said that when paramedics got to the scene they found the minibus upright in the middle of the road and the truck on its side on the side of the road Local authorities closed off the road while medics tended to the patients.

He said several passengers had sustained injuries and that two were found trapped in the taxi. On assessment, medics found that 12 people had sustained fatal injuries. Nothing could be done for them, and they were declared dead,” said Meiring.

The cause of the accident is unknown at this stage.