Eleven people were killed and 14 others injured in a bus crash in Mpumalanga
As many as 11 people were killed and 14 others injured on Tuesday morning after a bus and truck collided on the Badplaas Road, 3km outside of Machadodorp, Mpumalanga.
ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said when paramedics arrived on the scene they found the bus lying on its side on the side of the road while the truck had come to a stop in the middle of the road a short distance away.
“Upon closer inspection, paramedics found several passengers lying trapped inside the bus while numerous more were found walking around on the scene. Several patients were also found lying trapped beneath the overturned bus,” said Meiring.
Paramedics attended to the injured, while rescue services used specialised tools to free them from the mangled bus.
“Upon further assessment, paramedics discovered that a total of 11 patients had sustained fatal injuries. Nothing could be done for the patients and they were declared dead on the scene,” said Meiring.
He said 14 other injured people were attended to on the scene.
“Two had sustained critical injuries while the remaining 12 had sustained minor to moderate injuries. Paramedics treated the patients and provided the critically injured with advanced life support interventions.”
Meiring said the critically injured patient was airlifted by a Provincial Medical helicopter to Mediclinic Nelspruit. The remaining patients were transported by ambulance to various hospitals in the area for urgent treatment.
Local authorities were on the scene.
This was the second fatal bus accident in as many days.
On Monday, six people died and 51 others were injured near Bloemfontein when their bus crashed into a stationary truck.