Woman and young children OK after car rolls seven times Flipping fortunate
AN 18- month- old baby, a boy, 4, and a woman miraculously escaped with only minor injuries after their car rolled several times south of Townsville yesterday.
Police and firefighters rushed to the Flinders Highway near Giru about 1.45pm in response to reports a car had rolled up to seven times.
A 65- year- old woman and 18- month- old boy were trapped in the car after the crash but were pulled out by passers- by who had stopped to help.
A Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman said an off- duty paramedic was first on the scene, dialled 000 and gave first- aid to the woman, baby and boy, who had managed to get out of the car.
“It was very fortunate that the paramedic happened to be travelling along the road at the time and a second paramedic, who was in an ambulance but off duty, also passed the accident and assisted,” the spokeswoman said.
She said the boy suffered a hand injury, the woman had shown signs of shock while the baby was fortunately just distressed and with no obvious signs of injury.
“They were just in the right place at the right time,” she said.
Townsville Police District Duty Officer Senior Sergeant Scot Warrwick said police would investigate how the Toyota Rav 4 lost control.
“It appears it has come off the roadway and rolled several times before returning back on to the roadway,” SenSgt Warrwick said.
“There were minor physical injuries such as bruising but miraculously it appears no one was seriously injured.
“Police will investigate whether road conditions or fatigue played a part in the crash … at this stage it appears drugs or alcohol were not a factor.”
Sen- Sgt Warrwick said the woman and children were travelling to Townsville from Charters Towers.
It is understood the woman is from Richmond Hill.
One lane of traffic on the Flinders Highway was closed for more than an hour while Queensland Fire and Emergency Services crews cleared fluids and debris off the road.