[HAMMERSDALE – 31 MARCH 2012 AT 15H00]
ER24 paramedics from Pietermaritzburg and Hillcrest responded to an accident on the R103 near to the Inchanga railway station, where a report of two taxi’s had collided into one another and that there were people lying everywhere on the road this afternoon.
Paramedics arrived on the scene and found the two taxis in the middle of the road with extensive damage to both vehicles. One Commuter was found lying away from the scene and unresponsive, they assessed the patient and found the patient had sustained very traumatic and fatal injuries and was declared deceased on scene. Two other commuters, who were in a critical condition, were still entrapped inside the vehicle and need the Jaws of Life and other hydraulic equipment to extricate, while the paramedics stabilised them further.
Twelve other patients had sustained serious injuries and were treated for suspected neck and back injuries and possible broken bones. Advanced Life Support intervention was performed on the patients before they were transported to various hospitals in the area for further medical care.
It is unclear what caused the two drivers to collided into one another but the local authorities were on the scene and would investigate the accident further.
Derrick Banks, ER24