[Germiston 19 March 2012 10:00]
The truck accident happened just before 10am this morning, with a large container truck overturning as it appears to have been getting on the highway at Grey Avenue on the N3 in Germiston.
It is not clear as to the exact details as to how the truck overturned, but paramedics arrived at the scene to find the front cabin of the truck extensively damaged, with the driver entrapped. There had been no other vehicles involved, and the driver, a man in his 20’s, was the only person in the truck at the time.
All that could be seen of the driver was his upper body from his chest, his lower body was trapped under the severely damaged dashboard. The man was alert and speaking to paramedics, but he was in a lot of pain. Paramedics proceeded to stabilise him as best they could while the Fire and Rescue workers started up the hydraulic equipment to begin cutting him out. He was given pain medication and monitored closely while the wreckage was being removed from around him.
It was a long process; due to the extensive damage of the front cabin of the truck, with the metal mangled around the man, it was an almost 90 minute effort by all services at the scene to free the injured man. Once he was freed, he was further stabilised on scene.
The Medicopter had been standing by on scene for the duration of the cut out, in order to get the patient as quickly and safely to hospital as possible once he was freed.
The Medicopter landed at Union Hospital a short while later, for further treatment at the medical facility.
Due to the efforts and great team work from all of the Emergency and Essential Services at the scene, the man’s life was saved.
Extreme traffic backlogs are still eminent on that stretch of highway while heavy duty towing services are called in to remove the wreckage of the truck.
Vanessa Jackson, ER24
