DURBAN - At least four people were killed, a few were left in a critical condition and many others were injured in road crashes on KwaZulu-Natal roads on Saturday.
On Saturday evening, KwaZulu Private Ambulance (KZPA) responded to a crash on the R66 in the Eshowe area, northern KZN, following reports of a collision.
Initially, it was believed the crash had claimed five lives, leaving eight critical patients.
KZPA said upon arrival, they found two minibus taxis had been involved in a crash.
“Paramedics quickly assessed the scene and found that 26 patients sustained injuries ranging from critical to minor injuries,” KZPA said.
The service said the patients were treated on scene before being taken to the hospital for further treatment.
“Sadly, four occupants sustained fatal injuries and succumbed to their injuries before emergency services arrived,” KZPA said.
The service also said authorities were on the scene investigating.
Police had not commented by the time of publication.
Meanwhile, a man was left fighting for his life after he crashed his vehicle into a tree on Becton Drive in Malvern, west of Durban, on Saturday night.
Emer-G-Med spokesperson Kyle van Reenen said the ambulance service’s paramedics responded to the scene to find that a light motor vehicle had crashed into a tree at high impact.
Van Reenen said paramedics found a man approximately aged about 40 seated in the front seat in a critical condition.
“Advanced life support intervention was needed to stabilise him, before he was placed on to a mechanical ventilator to assist him with breathing and transported rapidly by ambulance to a nearby hospital for further care,” Van Reenen said.
He said two other occupants had suffered minor to moderate injuries. They were treated on scene before being taken to hospital.
Van Reenen added that the cause of the incident and the events preceding it were unclear but would form part of the police investigation.
Earlier in the evening, IPSS Medical Rescue and the IPSS Search and Rescue Unit responded to the R102 in Umhlali, north of Durban, after reports of a head-on collision.
Paul Herbst said when paramedics arrived, they found that a car and a bakkie had crashed head-on, which resulted in both vehicles leaving the road and both drivers being entrapped.
“Advanced life support paramedics, together with KDM (KwaDukuza Municipality) fire and rescue, worked to free the entrapped persons, who were both critically injured,” Herbst said.
He said once the patients were extricated, they were transported to hospital by IPSS Medical Rescue.
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