WATCH: Truck fire on Van Reenen's Pass cause massive backlog

It's understood that a tanker first caught alight in the vicinity of Van Reenen's Pass in the early hours of Monday morning.

The fuel flowed from the burning vehicle and down the pass, causing several trucks in the backlog to go up in flames as well.

The N3 Toll Concession's Con Roux says a tanker first caught alight, at around midnight, while coming down the pass. 

"A tanker experienced mechanical problems and pulled over into a layby the vehicle caught alight. The trailer on that tanker actually ruptured, and the fuel ran across the road, caught fire, and set alight to four more vehicles which had been stopped on the northbound," he said.

A total of five heavy-duty vehicles were involved, drivers of the trucks escaped unharmed.

"I am very glad to say that there were no injuries as a result of any of these incidents," he said.

Roux says a clean-up operation is underway. 

Newswatch was told that traffic is moving very slowly in that area and that there is currently a massive backlog of vehicles on both sides of the N3.

"At present we have one lane opened in each direction, so traffic is moving but extremely slowly. The road traffic inspectorate has also instructed that we restrict the number of lanes open at Tugela Plaza north bound in other words Johannesburg bound," he said.