A fatal collision has left four people dead and another seven commuters with serious injuries, after a taxi and a panel van collided on the N17 near the R42 off ramp by Nigel in the direction of Johannesburg this morning.
Paramedics from ER24 and other emergency personnel arrived on the scene and found the two vehicles were still in the middle of the road and found the patients strewed across the road. Seven patients were found outside the vehicles and had suffered serious injuries. They had to be treated for broken bones, multiple lacerations, and possible neck and back injuries. They were stabilised on the scene and transported to a nearby Provincial Hospital for further medical care.
Four patients from the taxi were still found inside the vehicle. The two in front were still entrapped while the remaining two were found in the back of the taxi. Unfortunately due to the fatal injuries that they had sustained were declared deceased on the scene. The Jaws of Life had to be used to extricate the two deceased from the front of the vehicle. The four deceased were three men and one woman.
It is believed that the two vehicles had a head on collision but will not be able to ascertain that until the necessary authorities have investigated further. Traffic was affected.
Derrick Banks, ER24