Rustenburg - Ten people were killed and several others injured when a bus crashed off a bridge on the N3 in Heidelburg, Mpumalanga, on Sunday.
“Eleven patients had sustained critical injuries, 54 patients had sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate and sadly ten people were killed in the roll-over," said Netcare 911 spokesperson Shawn Herbst.
“Due to the serious nature of two of the patients’ injuries, a Netcare 911 helicopter as well as another private EMS helicopter were activated to airlift the most seriously injured,“ Herbst said.
ER24 paramedics in a statement said the accident occurred near the N3 Die Hoek Toll Plaza in Heidelburg.
Spokesperson Russel Meiring said paramadics arrived at the scene and found a large bus on its roof on the side of the road.
“A number of the passengers had already climbed out of the crushed bus and were now seated near the vehicle, while several others still lay trapped inside.
“Medics set up a triage area and began to tend to the patients. Initial assessments showed that at least six people had sustained fatal injuries while close to 60 people had sustained minor to critical injuries.”
In a separate accident, ER24 paramedics said three women were injured, two seriously, when two light motor vehicles collided on Plattekloof Road in Montague Gardens in the Western Cape on Saturday.
“ER24 were en route to a hospital when they came across the collision. Two light motor vehicles had collided and were parked in the middle of the road,” said Meiring.
He said ER24, Life Healthcare and Western Cape Fire assessed the patients and found two women trapped inside the one vehicle in a serious condition, while a third woman was walking around with moderate injuries.
“The Fire Services had to use specialised equipment to free the women from the car. Once released, medics treated the women and provided the two with pain-relief medication. After treatment, the women were transported to a nearby hospital for further care.”
IOL