At approximately 19h20 on Saturday 28 June 2008, Netcare 911 paramedics responded to reports of a very serious collision on the R59 between Johannesburg and Vereeniging close to the Kliprivier offramp outside of Alberton.
It appears that a bakkie and a car were involved in a fatal head-on smash and then a double decker bus overturned about 100m past the initial collision. Paramedics attended to a total of 61 patients at the scene: 5 people died at the scene, 8 were in a critical condition and 48 others were treated for various injuries ranging from mild to serious. Fire fighters had to use the “jaws of life” to free victims from the car as well as the bus. The patients were transported by ambulances to the Natalspruit, Kopanong, Chris Hani Baragwaneth, Netcare Union, Sebokeng and Midvaal hospitals.
Initially their was a veldt fire on the side of the road but it is unclear if that played a role in the incident.
The bus company arranged for another bus to come to the scene to remove a few of the passengers that were not injured and did not go to hospital.
This incident was attended to by paramedics from the private and provincial ambulance services, fire department, Metro Police and their specialist Accident Investigation Unit.
At this time the R59 travelling from Johannesburg towards Vereeniging is still closed to traffic at the Kliprivier offramp and police are diverting traffic around the scene and it is unclear how long it will take to clear the road.
[ Information provided by Netcare 911 to the Road Safety & Arrive Alive Blog]
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