Plucky driver hailed as hero

PIETERMARITZBURG -- The driver of a truck carrying highly flammable acetone was hailed a hero after he braved a raging fire and unhitched the main cargo trailer from the smaller end unit, which exploded after a rear-end collision with another truck on the N3 highway near Ashburton yesterday.

Had the driver not freed the truck from the blazing trailer, all of the acetone would have exploded, according to emergency services personnel.

The trucker was en route to Durban when he rounded the bend near Ashburton and was confronted by another truck parked in the emergency lane. The driver swerved but the smaller trailer slammed into the parked truck.

The acetone ignited and sparked off two explosions.