From Arrive Alive News Section

3 injured in Kwa-Pata minibus collision

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:36:43 +0200

16 May 2012

Three people sustained some injuries this morning following a collision between a minibus taxi and a light passenger vehicle in the informal settlement of Kwa-Pata.

The cause of the collision is unclear at this stage, but a minibus taxi had collided into the side of the passenger vehicle. When ER24 paramedics arrived at the scene that identified three occupants in the light passenger vehicle to be in need of medical attention.

Two of the passengers, a boy aged four and a girl aged eleven, received treatment at the scene for various scrapes and bruises. The female driver received treatment for suspected back and neck injuries as well as various scrapes and bruises. All of the patients were later transported to a nearby medical facility for further treatment.

None of the occupants from the minibus taxi sustained any injuries in the collision. Local law enforcement officials attended the scene and will be investigating the incident further.

Andre Visser, ER24

8 injured taxi accident in Reddersburg

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:07:19 +0200

16 May 2012

Eight people sustained various injuries late yesterday evening adapter a single minibus taxi overturned on the N6 near Reddersburg.

The cause of the collision is unclear at this stage, but the minibus taxi which was towing a trailer, had veered out of control before leaving the road and overturning multiple times. The vehicle had 12 occupants in it at the time of the collision.

When ER24 paramedics arrived at the scene they identified a total of eight people in need of medical attention. Six of of the patients sustained minor injuries in the form of various scrapes and bruises. Two occupants sustained more serious injuries in the form of deep cuts as well as suspected head, back and neck injuries.

All the patients received treatment at the scene before being transported from the scene by various ambulance services to Pelonomi hospital for further care. Local law enforcement officials attended the scene and will be investigating the incident further.

Andre Visser, ER24

Motorcyclist forced off the road in Primrose

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:11:38 +0200

15 May 2012

In the second incident involving a motorcyclist in as many days, at around 12:15 today (15 May), a motorcyclist was forced off Rietfontein Road in Primrose.

A Mercedes Benz allegedly pulled out of the lane to overtake the motorcyclist, but midway apparently moved back to the center of the single lane forcing the motorcyclist to drive into parked vehicles on the side of the road.

The Mercedes Sprinter then sped off. Two police vehicles passed the scene and were informed of the incident by a witness. The police then proceeded to pursue the vehicle and allegedly stopped the Mercedes further along the road.

The Matrix Road Safety Association vehicle arrived on the scene and the onboard Emer-G-Med paramedics treated the injured motorcyclists. “Fortunately the young man was in a stable condition and could be transported to a nearby hospital,” says Terence Teixeira from the Matrix Road Safety Association .

“Once again we urge motorists to pay attention to motorcyclists and allow them access to the road, as one would any other kind of vehicle. This incident could have easily been prevented had the motorist been patient enough to wait for a better opportunity to overtake the motorcyclist,” he says.

For more information on the Matrix Road Safety Association go to www.matrix.co.za.

Witbank truck accident

Tue, 15 May 2012 07:30:55 +0200

15 May 2012

Two men have been killed and another has sustained critical injuries following an accident involving a truck on Balmoral Road outside of Witbank.

The cause of the accident is not yet known, but only the large truck had been involved. The truck had rolled and had left the cabin so badly mangled that the three men were trapped inside. It had rolled over them, and two of the men had already died due to the extensive nature of injuries that they had sustained. Only one of the men had survived the accident, and paramedics placed him on life saving equipment while Fire and Rescue workers got to work trying to get him out. After a long and grueling process, the man was finally freed, and what appeared to be almost four hours later, the injured man was on his way to hospital. He was taken to Cosmos Hospital for further medical care.

The cause of the accident will be determined and investigated by the local authorities.

Vanessa Jackson, ER24

Pinetown accidents this evening

Mon, 14 May 2012 08:43:37 +0200

14 May 2012

ER24 Durban paramedics were called out to Richmond road for a pedestrian that had been knocked by a taxi on Richmond road in Pinetown. The man in his 30's, believed to be an off duty security guard who was on his was home from work, was knocked down by a taxi. The details surrounding the cause of the incident are not clear.

The man needed immediate Advanced Life Support treatment, and he was being placed on assisted breathing equipment, his extensive and multiple injuries were being stabilised. He had sustained what appeared to be an extensive head injury as well as two broken legs.

Once stabilised at the scene, the man was taken to RK Khans Hospital by ambulance. No one in the taxi had been injured during the collision.

While they were busy on the scene treating the injured pedestrian, a motorist drove past and informed paramedics that just two kilometers away where Richmond road becomes the M1, a taxi had appeared to have rolled.

One of the ambulances immediately left and went to the scene. They found that a taxi had overturned, possible due to the wet roads as it had been drizzling lightly before the accident happened. There had been no other vehicles involved, and there were fortunately only two people who had sustained minor injuries who were occupants in the taxi at the time of the accident. The driver remained uninjured.

The two patients were taken to a nearby hospital for further care.

At around the same time, frantic calls came through to ER24, for notification of a serious accident at the corners of Crompton Street and King Cetshwayo Highway. There had been a two vehicle collision, where a VW Amrok bakkie had crashed into the drivers side of a BMW sedan.

Another ambulance was sent with paramedics, and upon arrival they found the BMW push right up onto the pavement and into the steps in front of a building. The damage to the sedan was so bad on the driver's side, that the driver and only occupant of the vehicle was trapped.

Paramedics quickly assessed the man in his 30's where he sat in his seat, and they found that he had suffered a broken right leg and multiple deep cuts and bruises. He was however awake and orientated throughout his ordeal.

He explained to paramedics that he was actually on the way to hospital after he had been bitten by a dog, seeking treatment for a wound on his left leg.

The local Fire and Rescue workers used the Jaws of Life to cut away at the mangled wreck, where after the man was loaded into the ambulance and transported to Crompton Hospital for further care.

The driver and only occupant of the Amrok was not injured in the accident.

Vanessa Jackson, ER24