Chaos erupted on the B10 road towards Mandlankala, KwaZulu-Natal on Christmas Day afternoon as emergency teams scrambled to respond to a serious mass casualty incident involving a public transport vehicle.
According to Arrive Alive, at approximately 3pm, the KwaZulu Private Ambulance Services emergency dispatch centre received frantic reports of a significant collision outside Empangeni.
Upon arrival, paramedics were met with a distressing scene where a taxi, fully loaded with commuters traveling home, had lost control and overturned.
Paramedics immediately established a station to manage the complex scene.
No fatalities, passengers injured
The wreckage of the vehicle lay on the roadside, with passengers in varying states of distress. Paramedics worked rapidly to assess the 15 occupants who had been inside the vehicle when it crashed.
Seven occupants sustained serious injuries, requiring advanced medical intervention on the roadside. They were later transported to nearby hospitals after their conditions were stabilised.
Six occupants sustained minor injuries and were treated for cuts, bruises, and shock. A total of 13 passengers were injured in the crash.
Multiple ambulances transported the injured patients to nearby medical facilities for urgent further care. The exact cause of the vehicle losing control remains unknown at this stage. Local authorities were in attendance to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Multiple fatalities in Limpopo crash
UPDATE: Head-on collision in the accident involving a bus and car on N1 North. The accident happened near Masekwa Brick (Louis Trichardt Area).
Around 11am on Christmas day, a devastating head-on collision occurred between a passenger bus and a light motor vehicle (sedan car). The impact resulted in multiple fatalities on scene.
Arrive Alive confirmed fatalities as two deceased. These include a driver and passenger from the car, and several injuries from the bus.
Additional trapped patients were eventually extricated.
District EMS Manager and multiple paramedic teams from Polokwane and surrounding areas were all on scene.
Road remained closed in both directions for crash investigation and clean-up. Significant traffic delays were reported as a result. And motorists were advised to use alternative routes or delay travel.
Investigation into the cause of the crash continue, as motorists are urged to exercise all manner of caution on the road.
