THE police have dismissed the allegations linked to a bombed fuel truck tanker in N1 Walter Sisulu Road and Nelson Mandela Drive outside Bloemfontein in the Free State to the current truck attacks in the country.
A fuel tanker caught fire on Tuesday, 11 July and preliminary reports believed it was an attack.
However, police spokeswoman Captain Loraine Earle told Daily Sun it was an accident.
She said it was unrelated to current attacks on trucks in the country.
It's alleged that the driver lost control, and the truck overturned and spilt the contents of the tanker and subsequently caught fire.
"The driver and his assistant were slightly injured and taken to hospital. The truck was travelling from south to north on the N1.
"The incident was an accident. A reckless and negligent driving case was opened. This is a normal procedure when people are injured in an accident, but it will be investigated. No arrests were made," Earle said.
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Hillary Mophethe, a spokeswoman for Community Safety, Roads, and Transport, said the incident prompted an immediate response from various emergency services, including the Mangaung Fire and Rescue.
"The authorities implemented a total road closure in both directions on the N1 to ensure the safety of road users. The burning fuel tanker, carrying a load of 93,000 litres of paraffin, posed a significant risk.
"Fortunately, the quick action by the fire and rescue teams resulted in the fire being contained. Throughout the incident, various community services also assisted in combating veld fires in the surrounding area," she said
Mophethe said as a precautionary measure, residents in surrounding areas were evacuated to ensure their safety.
"Authorities diligently worked to establish bed availability and emergency units in nearby hospitals in case of a potential disaster. The incident highlights the importance of prompt emergency responses and effective collaboration among emergency services," Mophethe added.
