A head on collision between two trucks has left a man entrapped in his vehicle for five hours. The incident occurred around 5 am on the Ventersdorp road (R53) approximately 30 kilometers outside of Potchefstroom.
An 18 wheeler truck carrying a load of cement collided with a truck carrying bricks, causing the cement truck to overturn, with the cabin rolling approximately 4 meters down the road embankment and the trailer overturned on the road surface.
The driver of the truck carrying cement was severely entrapped by his legs inside the cabin, leaving the Potchefstroom Fire and Rescue squad with the difficult task of removing him. It took approximately 5 hours to cut open the mangled truck cabin using the Jaws of Life and a neighbouring farmer lent his tractor to aid with the stabilisation of the cabin on the embankment. The driver had sustained severe injuries of his limbs, including third degree burns from hot engine oil, possible fractures of his lower leg and ankle, a dislocated shoulder, and multiple deep cuts on his legs. ER24 paramedics stabilised the man throughout the extrication process as he was in severe pain, and once removed from the truck, was flown by the Discovery Medicopter air ambulance to the Milpark hospital in Johannesburg.
The two patients in the truck carrying a load of bricks were both complaining of severe neck and back pain and were transported by road ambulance to the Potchefstroom General hospital.
The cause of the accident is still unclear, but SAPS as well as the Potchefstroom Traffic officials were in attendance, and will be investigating the incident.
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