A 32-year-old man was left seriously injured on Monday morning when he was knocked over by a train near Flanders Crescent in Howick, KwaZulu Natal.
Paramedics arrived on the scene at approximately 10.42am, after they were called by a local security company, said ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring.
Paramedics found the man lying along the tracks next to the train.
“ER24 paramedics quickly assessed the man and found that he had sustained serious injuries. He was quickly treated and provided with pain-relief medication,” said Meiring.
Once treated, paramedics used rope rescue equipment to lower the patient down an embankment to the awaiting ambulances. He was taken to Northdale Provincial Hospital for further care, Meiring said.
Fortunately, no-one from the train was injured.
Earlier in the day, Netcare 911 responded to a serious bus crash on the N8 outside Bloemfontein.
Netcare 911’s Nick Dollman said ambulance services from the private and government sectors, the police and Fire and Rescue teams all attended to the incident.
An extra-length bus and a truck had collided and Dollman said at least three people had died and many were injured. There was major damage to the structure of the bus.
One man had sustained a severe head injury and was placed on a ventilator before being airlifted to hospital by EMS helicopter.
Police were investigating both incidents.