Long weekend carnage
IT was a horror filled and bloody long weekend on Durban and Pietermaritzburg roads, with accidents that claimed a number of lives.
Two men were killed and another is fighting for his life in hospital after a truck struck them on the M7 eastbound before Titren Road near Southway Mall early on Saturday.
It is believed that a vehicle had broken down and its driver had called for help. However, when help arrived, a truck collided into both vehicles and the men. Garrith Jamieson of Rescue Care Paramedics said two men, believed to be in their twenties and fifties respectively, suffered major injuries. One of the men was flung into an embankment.
Jamieson said the men were declared dead and another man was found trapped under his vehicle.
“The Durban Fire Department had to use special equipment to free him. He was rushed to hospital in a serious condition,” said Jamieson.
A three-week-old baby was among the casualties after an accident on the N3 in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday evening when two vehicles collided.
According to Netcare 911 paramedics, a vehicle had crossed the median and collided with another vehicle travelling in the opposite direction.
Three people were declared dead, one had serious injuries, while two others died later, including the three-weekold baby.
On Saturday night, a man died and four others were seriously hurt after the driver of a Toyota Corolla lost control of his vehicle and it crashed into a barrier on Fields Hill Road in Pinetown.
One of the passengers was flung out of the vehicle. Paramedics could not save him. The driver of the vehicle and three others were taken to RK Khan Hospital.
Intersection
On Saturday morning a minibus taxi and a VW Polo travelling through the Queen Nandi Drive intersection collided after the Polo apparently lost control.
One taxi passenger was declared dead at the scene by paramedics.
It is alleged the driver of the Polo was travelling at high speed and collided with the minibus taxi.
Kyle Van Reenen, Crisis Medical spokesperson, said 12 people from the minibus taxi were injured. He said according to witnesses, the Polo driver left the vehicle and fled.