More than 30 people were injured in two separate accidents that took place on Thursday morning in Durban, involving trucks and other public transport vehicles, emergency services confirmed.
Just before 6am on Thursday, paramedics responded to an accident scene on the corner of Che Guevara Road (Moore Road) and Williams Road in the Berea area.
ALS paramedics said that 15 people sustained injuries which ranged from moderate to serious.
From the images seen, a minibus taxi landed on its roof and all the windows were broken.
“On arrival Paramedics found chaos as patients lay all over the road. Immediately more ambulances and Advanced Life Support Paramedics were dispatched to assist.
“Approximately 15 people had sustained various injuries ranging from moderate to serious,” ALS Paramedics said.
About a two minutes drive away from the accident, an even bigger wreck took place just before the Warwick Junction area, leaving 16 people injured.
A scene assessment indicated that a truck somehow lost control and crashed into a bus and two minibus taxis on Old Dutch Road near the Engen Garage.
Firefighters had to be called to the scene to help extricate one injured passenger who was trapped in the wreckage.
“One person, a passenger from the rear of the bus, was found severely entrapped in the wreckage. Advanced Life Support Paramedics worked to stabilise the patient, while the Durban Fire Department used the Jaws of Life and other hydraulic equipment to try and free the man.
“Once free, the man was carefully extricated onto the top of the truck then down to the awaiting ambulance,” ALS said.
The 15 other people involved sustained moderate to serious injuries and were treated on site before being transported to hospital.
The police were on scene at both crash sites and an investigation into the two crashes with commence.
IOL