[PINETOWN & DURBAN – 14 DECEMBER 2011 AT 11H10]
Not even a week in to the December holidays or the Silly Season as some people like to call it and emergency personnel have had their hands busy. ER24 paramedics have responded to numerous accidents in around KZN today ranging from a taxi accident where 25 people were injured to a little boy being knocked down and killed in Pinetown.
The first accident where 25 people were injured, took place on the M4 south Durban bound just before the Quality Road on ramp in Wentworth. A taxi heading into Durban somehow lost control and rolled. Emergency personnel arrived on the scene and found the taxi lying on its side in the right hand side of the freeway. All the commuters were already out of the vehicle and were found seated on the floor in the emergency lane. The patients were assessed and found that seven had suffered serious injuries and eighteen had suffered minor to moderate injuries. All patients were treated on the scene and transported to various hospitals in the greater Durban area for further medical care.
What made it difficult for emergency personnel to get to the scene was the fact that motorists had blocked the emergency lane and traffic had come to a standstill causing the delays in paramedics to get to the injured people. The necessary authorities were on the scene and would investigate the incident further as to how the driver lost control of his taxi.
The second incident was a little boy that had been knocked down in Pinetown at the corners of Glenugie and Mannors Road. ER24 arrived on the scene and found the little boy lying motionless in the road, with members of the public gather around him. The little boy believed to be 8yrs of age was assessed but unfortunately due to the severe traumatic and fatal injuries he had sustained from the incident there was nothing paramedics could have done to save him and he was declared deceased on the scene.
The circumstances him being knocked down will be investigated by the local authorities. The driver of the delivery vehicle that knocked the little boy was treated for shock and would go later to see his Doctor for further medical attention if required to.
Derrick Banks, ER24
