Cape Town - Two people, one of them a child, died and 17 others were injured on Sunday after the driver of a VW Microbus lost control of the vehicle when a tyre burst, said traffic authorities.
Western Cape traffic chief Kenny Africa said the taxi was travelling from Cape Town to Atlantis on the N7 near the Melkbosstrand turn-off when the accident occurred.
“The driver of a Volkswagen Microbus was transporting people… from Cape Town when a tyre burst and he lost control. The vehicle landed on a middle island after it rolled a couple of times,” Africa said.
He said the Microbus was the only vehicle involved in the accident.
ER24’s Werner Vermaak said paramedics had arrived on the scene at around 3pm on Sunday.
“Paramedics found nine women and one man with multiple injuries and another (woman) who sustained fatal injuries. She was declared dead on the scene… paramedics found nine children, ranging between six and 10… and one three-month-old baby,” Vermaak said.
He said a young boy was airlifted to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital for further medical care after he sustained serious head injuries and the partial amputation of his leg.
“Sadly, the child succumbed to his injuries upon arrival at hospital.”
Vermaak said the other seriously injured patients were stabilised at the scene before being transported to hospitals in the area.
The age of the child who died, and the identities of those involved, could not be confirmed as of Sunday night.
Africa said that, aside from the N7 accident on Sunday, two other road fatalities were reported over the weekend.
“On Friday, on the N1 near Touws River, a driver of a light delivery van died when he lost control of his vehicle… and late Friday a driver died when he skipped a red robot and collided with a taxi and another vehicle that was already in the crossing,” Africa said.
He said traffic officers had conducted 24 roadblocks over the weekend - they stopped more than 2 000 vehicles and 1 322 drivers were tested for alcohol.
Thirty drivers were arrested for drunk driving, Africa said.
Africa said that among the leading factors responsible for crashes were fatigued drivers, drunk driving, speeding and illegal overtaking.
Cape Argus