GROOTVLEI 27 April 2012, 10:30
Four people have died and seven others sustained various injuries after a minibus taxi overturned on the N3 highway just past the De Hoek Toll Plaza this morning.
The cause of the accident is unclear at this stage, but the minibus taxi had allegedly veered out of control before overturning multiple times. When ER24 paramedics arrived at the scene they could see that the collision was severe judging by the amount of damage sustained to the vehicle.
Paramedics found that four occupants from the minibus taxi, two males and two females, had sustained various fatal injuries. All four of the occupants were later declared dead at the scene.
Three occupants, two female and one male, had sustained serious injuries. One of the female patients had sustained a chest and head injury. She was treated at the scene before being airlifted to the Charlotte Maxeke hospital by another medical helicopter.
ER24 paramedics treated the male patient for suspected chest injuries as well as a head injury. Paramedics promptly dispatched the ER24 Discovery Medicopter to the scene. The man was later rapidly airlifted to the Charlotte Maxeke hospital for further care.
The remaining five occupants all received treatment at the scene for injuries ranging from suspected back and neck injuries to various scrapes and bruises. All of the patients were transported from the scene to various hospitals in the surrounding area by various Emergency Medical Services.
Local law enforcement officials were at the scene and will be investigating the incident further.
Andre Visser, ER24