In the early hours of Friday morning, the start of the anticipated Easter weekend, Mi7 National Group’s Emergency Medical Services responded to two devastating accidents on the N3 on Town Hill in KwaZulu-Natal.
The first involved two heavy duty trucks, and the second, a mass casualty event involving a bus and multiple vehicles.
Initial collision: Two trucks, one driver entrapped
Shortly after midnight, Mi7 EMS received reports of a major collision involving two trucks on the N3 at the base of Town Hill.
One vehicle had veered off the road down an embankment, while the other obstructed both the middle and slow lanes of the highway.
Mi7 dispatched an Advanced Life Support (ALS) rapid response vehicle and ambulance to the scene, joined by the Msunduzi Fire Department and other emergency services.
Upon arrival, crews discovered one driver entrapped in the wreckage.
Mi7 medics worked in coordination with their counterparts from other service providers to stabilise the critically injured driver, while firefighters executed a technical rescue.
Once freed, the driver was transported under ALS care to a nearby hospital.
Two additional patients sustained injuries and were also transported to hospital by Mi7 EMS.
Secondary collision: Multi vehicle pile-up, mass casualty response
Just before 03:00, a second, far more severe collision occurred in the same vicinity, believed to have been caused by residual traffic build-up and debris from the earlier accident.
Reports from community WhatsApp groups indicated a bus had rear-ended a container truck, resulting in a pile-up involving at least 15 vehicles including two trucks, two taxis, and approximately 10 other vehicles.
Mi7 EMS and other emergency teams responded immediately to a scene described as “carnage,” with vehicles scattered across all lanes of the N3.
Triage operations were rapidly established by paramedics from multiple services.
One bus passenger was found trapped in the wreckage and had to be extracted with assistance from firefighters.
In total, approximately 65 people were injured:
– 1 sustained serious injuries
– 3 sustained moderate injuries
– 61 sustained minor injuries
Four patients, including the seriously injured individual, were transported to hospital.
The rest were treated on site and declined further hospitalisation.
All relevant authorities attended the scene and are continuing investigations.
The N3 was closed for several hours, with extensive delays into the morning.
With high traffic volumes expected on the N3 this Easter weekend, motorists are urged to exercise extreme caution, maintain safe following distances, and remain alert at all times.
Are you planning on travelling this Easter weekend?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
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