Three people killed, 12 injured after bus plunges off KZN bridge
A preliminary report revealed that the bus plunged off the more than 50 m bridge in Maidstone Road.
At least three people have been killed and twelve others injured after a fully-laden bus plunged over a bridge in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
The bus accident happened on the R102 near Maidstone Sugar Mill in the Tongaat area on Tuesday morning.
A preliminary report revealed that the bus plunged off the more than 50 m bridge in Maidstone Road.
Bus crash
IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson Kelsey-Jae Merick said emergency workers are still at the bus crash scene, and the R102 has been closed to traffic.
'Reports from the scene so far indicate that at least three people are deceased and twelve have sustained serious injuries in the bus accident.
'The scene is still active and we urge motorists to use alternate routes as the R102 in that area is currently closed,' Meyrick said.
ALSO READ: Man dies after fire guts shack in Palm Ridge in Ekurhuleni
Condolences
KZN MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Armstrong Duma's spokesperson, Ndabezinhle Sibiya, said the department was saddened by the bus accident.
'We express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the bus crash. Equally, we wish those who are injured a speedy recovery. In our interaction with traffic anchor Ayanda Msweli, most roads in the area have been affected, especially around Gopalall Hurbans Road.
'We urge motorists to be patient as the scene is still active. Saving the injured, and recovery processes are underway,' Sibiya said.
Durban crash
Meanwhile, three people have been injured in an accident on the M4 near the Virginia off-ramp, North of Durban.
ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said the accident happened just before 7 am on Tuesday morning.
Jamieson said paramedics arrived on the scene to find 'carnage' as they found two badly-damaged vehicles obstructing both sides of the highway.
'Three occupants from both vehicles had sustained critical injuries, and immediately, Advanced Life Support Paramedics worked to stabilise them on the scene. Due to the severity of one of the injuries, the Air Mercy Aeromedical Helicopter was called to assist in rapidly transporting the patient to the hospital.
'The highway was closed whilst emergency personnel worked to clear the scene. Two patients were transported by ALS Paramedics to hospital for further care that they required,' Jamieson said.
Jamieson added that the events leading up to the crash is unknown, however police were on scene and will be investigating further.
Eastern Cape crash
On Sunday, two people died and four others sustained injuries in a crash involving two vehicles: a Corsa bakkie, a Mahindra XUV, and a motorbike.
The accident occurred on the N2 just outside East London towards Kei Bridge.
Eastern Cape provincial transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose said the cause of the accident is being investigated.
'It is not yet clear how the accident occurred, but the bakkie caught fire after the impact and the passenger died on impact along with the biker,' Binqose said.
'The driver of the bakkie and three occupants of the XUV sustained serious injuries and were rushed to the hospital in East London.
'It is believed that the Corsa bakkie, which was carrying a motorbike on its back, and the deceased biker were travelling together,' he said.
ALSO READ: RTMC team deployed to probe deadly Eastern Cape crash
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
4 days ago
- The Citizen
Video: Forensic review of dismembered remains confirms 10 died in Vryheid crash
'A trail of destruction… innocent lives lost, and the lives of many families have been turned upside down.' These were the words of the KZN MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, following a horrific crash near Vryheid in KZN. The Witness reports that after a forensic review of dismembered remains, it was confirmed that 10 people died in the collision. Duma confirmed the death toll after visiting the crash site, hospitals and mortuaries. He said poor visibility in the early hours of the morning contributed to confusion and an initial miscount of casualties at the scene. The devastating accident, involving a bus and a truck, occurred on the R34 near Vryheid in the early hours this morning. The EFF confirmed that the victims were members returning from the party's June 16 Youth Day rally in Umlazi. The party said it is working closely with authorities to identify the deceased and support affected families. According to the Department of Transport, the 10 deceased include seven males and three females. 'Thirty-three passengers sustained minor injuries and were able to walk, three were injured but not critically, and two are in critical condition. The bodies of the deceased have been moved to the Dundee Mortuary. Both the bus and truck drivers survived and are receiving medical attention in hospital,' says Duma. The Road Traffic Inspectorate and the SAPS is conducting a thorough investigation into the crash. 'Conflicting survivor accounts have surfaced, with some alleging the bus driver attempted to overtake, while others claim he may have fallen asleep behind the wheel. We do not want to speculate at this stage. We are confident the investigation will provide clarity,' Duma adds. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
5 days ago
- The Citizen
Man in critical condition after being attacked by a pit bull
The man was attacked by the pit bull after collapsing. A 40-year-old man is in critical condition after being attacked by a pit bull in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, on Sunday. Arrive Alive reported the man was attacked by the pit bull after collapsing around 7 pm. An ambulance service responded swiftly to the scene. 'Paramedics provided advanced life support, stabilising the patient before transporting him to a nearby hospital for urgent medical care,' said Arrive Alive. 'The patient is currently listed in critical condition. ALSO READ: Bloemfontein incident shows pit bulls are lethal weapons Woman and a toddler attacked KwaZulu-Natal is not foreign to savage dog attacks. Almost a year ago, a 67-year-old woman and a toddler were attacked by a Rottweiler. 'IPSS Medical Rescue received a call to assist a lady and her grandchild after they had been attacked by a Rottweiler. On arrival of paramedics, the 67-year-old female and her three-year-old grandchild were found to have sustained critical injuries after being attacked by the dog. 'Both patients were stabilised on scene by IPSS Medical Rescue and transported to a nearby hospital under the care of an IPSS Medical Rescue advanced life Support paramedic,' said IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson Samantha Meyrick at the time. NOW READ: Police condemn circulation of gruesome images following pitbull attack on little girl
TimesLIVE
7 days ago
- TimesLIVE
Comrades runner Moira Harding's finish could easily have ended in tragedy, says Point resident
The Comrades Marathon Association insists this year's street finish is not related to Cape Town runner Moira Harding's disappearance but will review criticism about congestion and chaos outside People's Park in Durban. Harding, 54, was reported missing when her family couldn't find her after she finished the 89km ultra-marathon from Pietermaritzburg to Durban at 4.52pm last Sunday, sparking a wide-scale search by family, friends and police. The search continued well into the night and resumed in the early hours of Monday until her husband, Daryl was contacted at about 7am by authorities to say she had been found near the NSRI base on Point Road — 6.9km away — in 'a critical state'. ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said she was 'conscious but very confused from the cold and all that she went through'. Harding was airlifted to Umhlanga hospital and sedated for several days while doctors treated her for hypothermia. Police confirmed she was found with no visible injuries, something Ongezwa Sidumo who lives on Point road said could easily have ended tragically. 'The Point area, and the south beach area as a whole, is a dangerous place for anyone, but more so for a woman wandering by herself at night. It has long been known for its crimes such as robberies and kidnappings. I've also been a victim of robbery by the vagrants, but it's not only them committing crime, even seemingly normal people driving beautiful cars,' she said. 'There's also a lot of prostitution, and those girls can attack you if you're a woman they don't know and think you're working in their territory. The municipality has improved the area massively recently, and police visibility has increased massively, but the challenges can't be resolved overnight.' It is believed that Harding became disoriented after the run and, in the confusion of the finish, couldn't find her way to the meeting spot she had arranged with her family. She then wandered off and got lost. Gauteng surgical gastroenterologist and hepato-biliary surgeon Dr Avishkar Gurunand, who shares a keen interest in exercise, said there are dangers associated with over exertion for athletes who participate in an event like the Comrades Marathon, including cardiovascular pathology that may be symptomatic of the effects of prolonged exercise, electrolyte disturbances, muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis) and dehydration. 'The human body is robust enough to handle significant physiological stress. The concern is that prolonged high-intensity activity can unmask underlying cardiovascular disease and, in rare circumstances, with fatal consequences.' 'These can be largely combated by adequate fluid intake and electrolyte replacement during the time of exercise and afterwards, but if unchecked, this can lead to renal failure, cardiac arrhythmias and a delirious state — all of which are medical emergencies, he added. Police said they would await a medical report that would determine the next course of action. According to media reports, Harding's sister, Fiona Baldwin, said she is recovering well in hospital and is awake and speaking. Baldwin slammed marathon organisers for the race's 'chaotic and poorly controlled ending'. She told reporters the chaos at the finish line may have played a role in Harding's disappearance. Unlike in previous years when the finish line down run was either the Moses Mabhida Stadium or the Kingsmead stadium, the 98th edition had a street finish line, ending at Masabalala Yengwa street near People's Park.
