Seven people have been killed and one is in a critical condition following a
collision between a truck, a Kombi and a Pajero on the N3, Harrismith on Sunday evening.
ER24 said they joined efforts with Free State EMS,
Fire Department, Highway Patrol, the N3TC road patrol and one other private
Emergency Medical Service to help rescue a 15-year-old boy, the only survivor in a mangled Kombi.
Ross Campbell, ER24 spokesperson, said the Pajero was found up against the barrier on the
Johannesburg bound side of the N3 and the Kombi was found wedged under the
front of a truck, in the veld, on the Durban bound side.
“Two people were found
deceased in the Pajero and were declared on arrival by the Free State EMS. Five
people in the Kombi, believed to be from one family, were found with fatal
injuries and also declared on arrival by the Free State EMS. All the occupants
were found entrapped in the vehicle.
“The only survivor from the Kombi, a 15-year-old boy, was also found
entrapped in the vehicle. It took teamwork from all the emergency services
on-scene to help keep the truck from collapsing further while others helped
extract the critically injured patient. He was treated and transported to
hospital by the other private medical service on scene.”
Campbell said both sides of the Freeway were severely backed up following the incident but the N3TC, as well as the SAPS Highway Patrol, were on scene to
control traffic as well as for investigation.
“ER24 would like to thank all of
the services on the scene for the teamwork in saving the 15-year-old boy.”