[Howick – 08 December 2011 at 07h30]
A taxi accident on the R617 just outside Howick, heading towards Underberg has left 16 people injured and one person dead this morning.
ER24 paramedics from Pietermaritzburg, along with other emergency personnel arrived on the scene and found the taxi lying on it’s side with the patients scattered all around the scene.
The commuters were assessed and found that one person had already succumbed to his injuries and was declared deceased on scene. Three people had suffered critical injuries, seven people had suffered serious injuries and the remaining six commuters had suffered minor to moderate injuries.
The three people that were in a critical condition needed Advanced Life Support intervention to be performed on them before they could be stabilised further. The seven serious patients had suffered possible neck and back injuries and possible broken bones to various parts of there body. The six minor to moderate patients had suffered cuts and abrasions. All patients were transported by ambulance to various hospitals in the greater Pietermartizburg area for further medical care.
It is believed that the taxi may have had some sort of mechanical problem causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and making it over turn. The necessary authorities were on the scene and would investigate the accident further.
Derrick Banks, ER24