Pretoria - Seven members of the same family were burnt beyond recognition in a fiery car wreck on the N1 between Petroport and Wallmansthal on Friday.
The dead included four adults and three minors, the youngest aged just 18 months.
Initial reports had indicated that only two people died in the accident, which happened at about 11am. However, more bodies were discovered as rescue officers worked through the wreckage.
Two trucks and nine motor vehicles were involved in the horrific accident. All the vehicles were gutted by the blaze.
It was mayhem at the scene for most of the afternoon with debris, glass and metal scattered all over the road, while emergency personnel relentlessly attempted to put out the fires.
At the same time, pathologists were working their way through the burnt and severely squashed cars to retrieve the bodies. Numerous beer packs which were from one of the delivery trucks lay scattered on the ground. It took eight hours to clear the scene.
Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson Charles Mabaso said the accident may have been caused by poor visibility because of grass fires in the area. The grass on both sides of the road had been set alight and smoke clouded the road, he said.
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