2 killed in crash

Leon Knipe

Emergency services had to use the jaws of life at the scene of a fatal crash in Athlone on Saturday night

Staff Reporter

A three-year-old girl was killed in a collision in

Jan Smuts Drive in Athlone on Saturday night. A 24-year-old woman also died and nine others were injured in the crash.

The woman, who suffered head injuries, and the child, who suffered head, chest and back injuries, were declared dead at the scene. The collision occurred at around 10.17pm.

Cape Town Traffic Services’ Merle Lourens said police were investigating the circumstances of the crash but rescuers reported arriving to find a T-bone collision between two vehicles. Rescuers had to use the jaws of life to extricate those trapped in the vehicles.

Provincial Emergency Medical Services spokeswoman Keri Davids confirmed that two patients were declared dead at the scene. There were 11 people at the scene, nine of whom were treated for serious injuries, Davids said.

Also on Saturday night, rescuers extricated a driver and passenger in a collision between a minibus taxi and a car in Eerste River. The accident occurred on the corner of Blue Downs Way and Forest Drive.

EMS Rescuers had to extricate the driver and passenger of the car, who had serious injuries. The driver of the minibus taxi was not injured.

At around 1.06am yesterday, a car rolled and overturned near the Bunga turn-off heading in the direction of Cape Town along the N2.

Rescuers found the vehicle lying on its roof and had to remove the door of the vehicle using the jaws of life to free the trapped driver, Davids said.

The driver had facial injuries and was taken to Vincent Palotti Hospital.

Meanwhile, the driver of a taxi is recovering in hospital after the minibus collided with a car on the corner of Strandfontein and 5th Avenue, Grassy Park, at around 6.30am. The driver of the car suffered a back wound and was taken to Claremont Medi-City.

Later, at around 8.40am, paramedics responded to a collision involving a car and motorbike on the N2, near the Wilderness.

Rescuers also responded to a collision in Woolsack Drive, Rosebank, at around 8.42am. Four women, all of whom suffered serious back, head and neck injuries were taken to Groote Schuur Hospital.

natasha.prince@ inl.co.za