FOUR rescue workers and a bystander were badly hurt yesterday when a truck carrying cattle crashed into an accident scene being attended to by the paramedics

ER24 spokesperson Werner Vermaak said the paramedics were attending to a serious accident on the R26 about 10km outside Bethlehem in Free State.

"It is understood that emergency workers were on the scene attending to an accident shortly before 10am when a truck carrying cattle crashed into the accident scene," Vermaak said.

Three paramedics from ER24, a Bethlehem fireman and a bystander were injured.

"Paramedics on the scene described the incident as chaotic, with poor visibility because of heavy mist hanging over the area," Vermaak said.

He quoted officials as saying a paramedic response car was "ripped to pieces", while three police vehicles and another rescue vehicle were also severely damaged.

The paramedics were taken by ambulance to a nearby private clinic, where one of them was treated in the intensive care unit.