Following reports of a vehicle transporter catching fire on the N2 near George, the organisers of the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb can confirm that the truck was carrying several vehicles that had competed in the Knysna-based motorsport event over the weekend.
There are no reports of anyone being injured in the incident, with one of the vehicles reportedly having caught fire while in transit, resulting in the fire spreading rapidly and causing extensive damage to the vehicles. The fire has since been extinguished.
Ian Shrosbree, managing director of Knysna Speed Festival and organiser and founder of the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb, expressed his dismay and distress after hearing of the incident.
“After the resounding success of the last three days where each of the participating vehicles becomes part of the essence of the competition – this disaster impacts on us all. The loss of complete vehicles (some of them one-of-a-kind and literally irreplaceable) and the damage to others cannot be quantified.
“It is much, much more than just the value of what has gone up in flames.”
The cause of the fire is unclear at this stage, but will be investigated. The value of the affected vehicles has not yet been determined.
