Side On Collision Between Two Trucks

A small refrigerator truck and larger truck carrying a load of sand collided at the intersection of the R550 and R103 in Heidelberg.

ER24 paramedics on scene arrived to find the Traffic police already in attendance, and they immediately offered help to the medics where they could. As they began to assess the scene, they noted that the passenger of the refrigerator truck was almost hanging right out of the vehicles' window, and he was unfortunately declared deceased on the scene, as his injuries were too great. The driver of the refrigerator truck was in a critical condition, he was almost lifeless, but paramedics were able to stabilise the man, taking over his vital functions manually. He was severely entrapped in the vehicle, which was mangled into the side of the sand truck. It took rescuers with heavy duty equipment almost an hour and a half to remove the wreckage so as to get the man out.

Paramedics explained that the man in his late twenties was unconscious, and had sustained what they deduced to be a severe head injury. They also treated him for chest injuries and a possible broken pelvis. The ER24 Discovery Medicopter was called out, and they were on scene waiting for the patient to be removed from the vehicle so that they could airlift him to Glynwood Hospital for immediate treatment. He was in a critical, but seemingly stable condition when he was handed over to the hospital staff. They will have the task of determining exactly how severe his injuries are.

The driver of the sand truck was fortunately unharmed but visibly shaken after the accident.

Traffic police will be opening the investigation into what the cause of the accident was.