[HOWICK – 22 FEBRUARY 2012 AT 09H20]
A man has been killed and twelve others have sustained various injuries after the bakkie they were travelling in lost control and went up an embankment on the N3 north bound before the Midmar Dam on ramp this morning.
ER24 paramedics and EMRS from Pietermaritzburg arrived on scene and found the bakkie in the emergency lane on its roof with the occupants strewn across the road. Paramedics started to assess the patients and found one man believed to be in his early thirties had suffered traumatic and fatal injuries and unfortunately was declared deceased on scene.
Seven other patients had suffered various injuries and were in a serious condition. Five of the seven needed Advanced Life Support intervention before they could be stabilised further. Five other occupants had suffered minor cuts and general body pain. The twelve patients were all stabilised on scene and transported to various hospitals in the greater Pietermaritzburg area for further medical intervention.
The local authorities were on the scene and would investigate the accident further. The left hand lane of the freeway was closed to traffic while emergency personnel treated the patients and salvaging of the vehicle was done.
Derrick Banks, ER24
