A 28-year-old woman is in a serious condition after a collision between a bakkie she was travelling in and a bus on the M4 southern freeway in Durban late on Tuesday evening.
A 28-year-old woman is in a serious condition after a collision between a bakkie she was travelling in and a bus on the M4 southern freeway in Durban late on Tuesday evening.
ER24 spokesperson Derrick Banks said when paramedics arrived on the scene they found that the bakkie had wedged itself underneath the bus.
"The driver of the bakkie was able to free himself before emergency personnel arrived at the scene.
"The passenger was not so lucky. The impact had caused the roof to collapse onto her, making it very difficult for emergency personnel to work," he said.
Banks said advanced life support intervention was performed on the woman, while the fire department staff used the jaws of life to help free her from the wreckage.
"The patient, who was trapped for more than an hour, was finally freed and was extricated from the bakkie using specialised equipment.
"The patient was stabilised further at the scene before being transported to a nearby hospital in a serious but stable condition.
"It is believed that the driver of the bakkie misjudged the bus when he came around the corner on the freeway," Banks said.
"When he tried to avoid hitting the bus, he slammed into its back, forcing the bakkie to overturn.
"Paramedics are convinced that if the passenger was not wearing a seat belt at the time, this accident could have been fatal," Banks said.
HURT WOMAN TRAPPED UNDER BUS
A 28-year-old woman is in a serious condition after a collision between a bakkie she was travelling in and a bus on the M4 southern freeway in Durban late on Tuesday evening.
A 28-year-old woman is in a serious condition after a collision between a bakkie she was travelling in and a bus on the M4 southern freeway in Durban late on Tuesday evening.
ER24 spokesperson Derrick Banks said when paramedics arrived on the scene they found that the bakkie had wedged itself underneath the bus.
"The driver of the bakkie was able to free himself before emergency personnel arrived at the scene.
"The passenger was not so lucky. The impact had caused the roof to collapse onto her, making it very difficult for emergency personnel to work," he said.
Banks said advanced life support intervention was performed on the woman, while the fire department staff used the jaws of life to help free her from the wreckage.
"The patient, who was trapped for more than an hour, was finally freed and was extricated from the bakkie using specialised equipment.
"The patient was stabilised further at the scene before being transported to a nearby hospital in a serious but stable condition.
"It is believed that the driver of the bakkie misjudged the bus when he came around the corner on the freeway," Banks said.
"When he tried to avoid hitting the bus, he slammed into its back, forcing the bakkie to overturn.
"Paramedics are convinced that if the passenger was not wearing a seat belt at the time, this accident could have been fatal," Banks said.