Three men lost their lives in a devastating crash on the N3 highway between Ashburton and Lion Park on Thursday afternoon.

Emergency teams arrived to a chaotic scene, with traffic affected in both directions. The crash involved a car, an SUV, and a truck. According to ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson, it’s believed the car and SUV collided on the Pietermaritzburg-bound side of the highway. The impact caused the SUV to lose control, cross the center median, and collide head-on with an oncoming truck.

Jamieson confirmed that the three people inside the SUV were trapped in the wreckage and sadly died at the scene. Another driver sustained minor injuries and was treated on-site. Traffic on the N3 was severely impacted as emergency teams worked to clear the scene and investigate the cause of the crash.

Traffic on the N3 came to a standstill Thursday afternoon after a three-vehicle crash. (Photo: ALS Paramedics)