Car hits pole & burns while driver runs away

In the early hours of Saturday morning a Citi Golf lost control and collided with a reinforced concrete light pole and thereafter burst into flames. The incident took place in Kennard Rise in Umbilo at approximately 03:30. ER24 paramedics raced to the cul-de-sac and found 3 young men lying on the pavement near the burning wreckage. One youth was in a serious but stable condition with suspected spinal and neck injuries, as well as severe facial trauma. He was transported by ambulance to hospital.

It is the alleged by the uninjured passengers on the scene that the driver, whom they did not know had absconded from the scene and left his car to burn. They claim (ironically) that they had met the young man that evening at “Burn”, a popular Durban Night spot.

Durban Metro fire Fighters controlled the blaze within minutes using flame retardant foam. Metro police insist that a docket of reckless and negligent driving will be opened and the matter would certainly be investigated further. It is clear that the driver was traveling at high speed, as indicated by skid patterns which started a substantial distance from the point of impact. It is a miracle that all survived the accident. The injured passenger is believed to be in a stable condition in St Augustine’s Hospital.