[Ogies 07 September 2011 13:37]
The reports of a serious bus accident came through to the 084 124 Contact Center shortly before 2pm this afternoon. Callers reported that a large coal truck had collided into the side of a passenger bus, and there were serious injuries at the scene.
When ER24 paramedics first arrived, they found that the bus had been almost flipped over after the impact and the truck’s front was crushing a large part of the bus, both vehicles having come to rest in the field at the side of the road, almost 30 meters from the initial point of impact. After a quick but thorough assessment of the scene, paramedics were immediately able to determined that there had been 4 people who had already died at the scene, but after the 3 hour long grueling extrication of patients and bodies from the wrecked bus, it was finalised that 10 people had died in the accident from the massive trauma that they had sustained. The Jaws of Life had been used to cut away at the mangled metal to free those people who were trapped inside. Many of the injured had been flung from the bus during the impact with the truck.
Paramedics and Fire and Rescue workers worked together to determine the extent of injury to every patient on scene, making sure that they received the appropriate treatment before being transported to hospital by ambulance. 1 person had sustained critical head injuries and was taken to hospital rapidly. Another 9 people were treated for serious injuries while one man was lucky enough to have come out of the accident with minor injuries only.
In total it was determined that 22 people had been in the bus at the time of the collision.
The cause of the accident is not known at this stage and will be investigated by the necessary officials.
Vanessa Jackson, ER24
