Four people burnt to death in their car on Tuesday morning following a collision on the N3 near Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal paramedics said.

Two cars were parked in the emergency lane near Camperdown when they were hit by a truck, said ER24 spokesperson Derrick Banks.

The truck was described as a large, 18-wheeler by Netcare 911 spokesperson Jeff Wick.

He said the truck drove over one of the cars, causing it to catch alight. Four people were killed in the fire and a fifth person was killed when the force of the impact threw him out of the car.

Wick said the second car was wedged against the rail. Two people inside that car were injured and taken to hospital.

The driver of the truck was also injured and taken to hospital.

Wick said that the N3 near Camperdown in the direction of Pietermaritzburg would be closed until emergency workers cleared the scene.