DURBAN - Social media posts are being shared extensively calling on the public to pray for the Eggers family which was involved in a car crash that claimed the lives of two of its children earlier this month.
A Facebook post shared on various social media calls on people to keep Ingrid and Bruno Eggers in their prayers: “Notify any prayer groups. They were the family of four that was involved in a head-on collision on the M19. Their seven-year-old son passed away shortly after the crash while their two-year-old daughter passed away last Wednesday night”.
Although amended, the post initially said Bruno was still in a coma and Ingrid was awake but they had bad spinal fractures.
However, it was later said that Bruno was not in a coma. Both were seriously injured but Bruno was the most mobile of the two.
On Monday, February 7, 2022, Deutsche Schule Durban, shared a Facebook post that said: “... It is with overwhelming sadness that we inform you of the passing of Grade 1 learner Karl Eggers as a result of a motor vehicle accident. We would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to Karl's family and ask that our community keep his parents and little sister Maya in their prayers. Maya is still in a critical condition.”
On Thursday the school said: “We are truly devastated to let our DSD community know of Karl's sister, Maya's passing late last night. Thank you to our community that have kept the Eggers family in their prayers and we ask all of you to continue to do so, as Ingrid and Bruno have a long road of recovery ahead of them. Our sincerest condolences go out to them and their extended family. You will always be a part of the DSD family and you can continually count on our love and support.”
On the morning of February 5, 2022, the Specialised Tactical Accident Rescue Team (S.T.A.R.T) said it received a call for a multiple-vehicle crash on the M19 at 12.20pm.
On arrival at the scene the team found that a SUV travelling east just after Mountbatten Drive had lost control in the wet weather going through the centre medium, and colliding head on with a double cab bakkie travelling in the opposite direction. A third vehicle could not swerve fast enough and also crashed at the scene.
“The driver of the SUV had sadly succumbed to her extensive injuries and the front passenger was trapped and had to be cut free with rescue tools and was in a critical condition,” START said.
“The four occupants of the double cab that took the brunt of the impact were in a critical condition and the two young children had to be resuscitated by emergency workers as they both stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest.”
“After a few minutes of CPR, pulses were felt on both children, a little girl three-year-old and a six-year-old boy.”
START said they were immediately transported to the hospital while rescuers focused on their parents still trapped in the car. After they were extricated they were moved to the same hospital in critical condition.
“The occupants of the third vehicle, fortunately only sustained minor injuries and did not require hospital care.”
Meanwhile, Jay Padayachee who was one of the first responders said the crash happened seconds before he could get to it.
Padayachee shared his experiences in a Facebook post on the same day.
“My heart. I saw that child and that’s when I called 911 immediately. I’m telling my kids that I can’t stop thinking about this family,” Padayachee said.
Last Wednesday, Padayachee said he had not had a decent sleep for days and wished he could have done more.
In his initial post on February 5, 2022, Padayachee said: “I was with my kids today driving down the M19 toward home and I saw steam on the opposite lane rising up into the air. Immediately I knew it was a car crash. As I got closer I saw it was a multiple vehicle accident. I told my kids to stay behind (Jordan) and I ran across the road to see if I could assist.... It was such a grim scene… Head-on collision cos both fronts of these vehicles were smashed in and one bakkie up the bank. The lady driving the SUV was trapped in the front seat, it seemed her legs were jammed under the dash and were broken. The next vehicle was a bakkie. I saw the parents in the front, alive but both in shock. I saw a child on the backseat floor face down and not moving. I know not to move anyone from an accident scene so I called 082 911 immediately and an emergency was dispatched to the scene. I pray to God that nobody was killed in that crash.”
Daily News