Man Critical after House Fire

A 30 year old man is in a critical condition in the Vereeniging Medi Clinic after his house was deliberately set alight by unknown men. The man explained to ER24 Emergency Services - who arrived first on scene - that his family was out on a family gathering when an unknown amount of men entered his house and pushed him into a room in his house. They did not say anything.

He said he doesn't know what exactly and why it happened. He was locked in the room and the next moment everything was in flames. When ER24 arrived on the scene the house was already well alight and completely engulfed in flames. The man was helped by bystanders to the ambulance. He got out via one of the doors that burnt down.

He sustained inhalation burns and multiple serious burns to his body. He received emergency treatment on scene by paramedics and was rushed to the Vereeniging Medi Clinic for further treatment.

At this stage it is unclear why the men set the house alight and if anything was taken from the house.

The man is being admitted in the hospital for further care. The house is completely destroyed.

The incident occurred at approximately 20h30 on 30 December 2006.

Six injured in Crash

At approximately 19h00 a minibus from a local church collided with a car travelling on William Nicol towards the Fourways Mall. According to the driver of a the red Mazda 626 a white combi drove right in front of him in the intersection. He could not swerve in time to avoid the collision. The Mazda collided on the passenger side of the the combi.

Four people were injured in the Mazda - two of them with massive facial lacerations and a child of 11 years old. The driver of the Mazda, a 38 year old male, explained that they were on their way from their home in Diepsloot to drop off one of the ladies at her home in Fourways when the accident occurred. The front occupants of the Mazda were flung against the windscreen and the rear passengers were flung forward in the collision.

Two women were treated on scene for severe facial and leg lacerations. The boy (11) and the driver were also treated on scene. (It is unclear at this stage if the mother of the boy was in the car). All of them had to be stabilised first and was then transported in a stable condition to the Helen Joseph Hospital.

Two occupants of the combi was uninjured, but assessed by paramedics on scene. They were returning from a home across the road to go back to the Church when the accident occurred. They did not want to comment any further.

The intersection was not well lit.

Boy (11) Drowns in Rivonia Swimming Pool

An 11 year old boy drowned in a swimming pool yesterday afternoon at a Rivonia home. His father was busy working in the garden of a family when the incident occurred. He said his son was swimming in the pool and was a relative good swimmer.

When he returned to the pool his son was drifting in the pool. The reason for his drowning is at this stage still unclear. Emergency Services were contacted and they responded to the scene. On arrival paramedics were already busy with CPR. CPR was continued for more than 30 minutes, but paramedics were unable to save his life.

The owners of the house were not home when the incident occurred. They were on holiday. A bystander said that the premises were protected by CCTV cameras and the owners will look up on the internet what happened.

Neigbours flocked to the scene after the incident.

Source - ER24

Pregnant Paramedic injured in Crash

An ER24 paramedic was injured when a taxi drove into the front side of the ambulance on the driver's side. Bernadine Cilliers (23) was busy reversing the ambulance into a driveway in Barbara Street, Germiston - when the taxi collided with the ambulance.

The ambulance was dispatched to a house in the street for a medical emergency. On arrival they found the patient in the house in a critical condition and had to receive immediate medical attention. Bernadine's partner (Marina Divov) was busy treating the patient in the house when the accident occurred.

Due to the layout of the house the ambulance had to be reversed into the yard for easy and rapid transportation of the ill patient. Divov said that Cilliers went out to bring the ambulance into the yard along with the stretcher when the incident occurred. "I was busy with the patient and heard a loud crash, I just knew something had happened to Bernadine", said Divov.

Divov rushed outside and found Cilliers in the driver's seat of the ambulance complaining of severe neck pain. Paramedics stabilized her on scene and transported her with another ambulance to the Glynnwood Hospital in Benoni. She is in a stable condition and will receive routine examinations to ensure the safety and health of herself and the unborn child.

Five people of the taxi were injured on scene. Paramedics treated the patients for minor cuts and bruises. They were all transported to a local hospital nearby. The driver of the taxi did not sustain any injuries and was assessed by paramedics. The taxi came to a standstill on the opposite side of the road with the windscreen and doors smashed.

The patient in the house was transported first from the scene with another ER24 ambulance, in a stable condition, to the Johannesburg General Hospital. Cilliers was transported with a third ER24 ambulance shortly after.

The family of the patient in the house, said they were outside to help Cilliers get the ambulance into the yard when they saw the taxi driving into the ambulance.

It is unclear why and how the accident happened at this stage. The accident will be investigated. Ekhuruleni Metro Police and SAPS attended the scene.

Bernadine is employed as a paramedic for almost six years now.

ER24 would wish to thank the family of the patient for their assistance with Cilliers and the Ekhuruleni Emergency Services - especially Mr. Kevin Dyken - for his assistance with our paramedics and other patients.

N4 Platinum Highway Crash

A serious accident occurred this afternoon on the N4 Platinum Highway between the Rosslyn and Pretoria North Offramps. According to the driver of a 26-wheeler truck, a bakkie fully loaded were trying to overtake him whilst traveling in an easterly direction on the highway. The truck driver explained that the next moment he saw the bakkie rolling passed him several times.

People were flung from the bakkie in several directions and came to a landing on the highway in the opposite direction.

On arrival of Emergency Services, we found the bakkie in the fast lane of the highway in a western direction. The bakkie came to a standstill on it's wheels. All eight occupants of the vehicle were flung and one was killed instantly. Another man was thrown almost 10 meters from the wreckage and sustained massive head and body injuries. Advanced Life Support measures had to be implemented to save his life.

Six other people were also seriously injured and transported to a hospital nearby.

According to one of the patients they were all family and close friends on their way to Mozambique to visit other family members when the tragedy struck.

No other vehicles were involved in this accident. The highway was closed in the western direction between the offramps for police and metro police to conduct their investigations. The highway was closed for several hours.

The bakkie came to a standstill in the direction of Rustenburg on the N4.

The accident happened approximately 14h50 on 22 December 2006.

Four Die on N1 Smash

Four people died this evening on the N1 after their taxi overturned just after the Murryhills/Petronella off ramp near Hamanskraal. The accident occurred at approximately 18h40 on 23/12/2006.
Nine people were critically injured and three of those were unstable on the scene. All of the patients received medical treatment and was transported to hospital. Most of the patients were transported to the Pretoria Academic Hospital for further stabilization.
According to an eyewitness on scene, the taxi was traveling in the Pietersburg direction of the highway when it lost a right rear wheel. The taxi, along with it's fully loaded trailer, overturned several times on the highway and only came to a standstill on it's roof in the opposite direction.
The highway and middle island laid scattered with people, clothes and food.
Paramedics used all available resources to treat and transport the patients rapidly to hospital.
At this stage it is unclear if the driver is amongst one of the fatalities. No children were reported involved in this accident.
The highway was closed in the South direction (Pretoria) and traffic was rerouted through the North bound lanes.
Heavy rains could have contributed to the accident.
Metro Police and SAPS will investigate the accident.

Pregnant Mother Critical After Crash

A 21 year old mother is in a serious, but stable condition after she was involved in a motor vehicle accident this evening. The accident occurred on the Petroleum road outside the Waltloo Licensing Department at approximately 22h00.

An eyewitness explained that they saw a Charcoal colored Citi Golf traveling in the direction of the oncoming traffic towards Eersterust on Petroleum road. The family in the Burgundy Mazda 3 tried to swerve, but the Golf collided on the front passenger side where the pregnant lady was sitting.

The force and impact was so high that the Golf overturned and came to a standstill on the middle of the road several meters from the initial impact spot.

When paramedics arrived on scene the 21 year old pregnant mother said she had severe pain in the left hip and abdomen. She was already out of the car when paramedics arrived. She was treated on scene and transported with her boyfriend (28) to Pretoria Academic Hospital. They were all traveling in the Mazda when the accident occurred. The pregnant lady was transported rapidly to hospital by Lifemed Ambulance Services. A friend (16) who was also in the vehicle sustained arm and lower body injuries - he was transported by ER24 Ambulance to a nearby hospital.

The driver of the Golf was only slightly injured and assessed by paramedics on scene. Metro police and police questioned the driver of the vehicle.

Traffic was severely disrupted in the area as the roads were difficult to access.

Grenade Blast Kills Two in Nelspruit

At approximately 03h00 this morning ER24 paramedics were dispatched to Nemezia Street in Valenchia - Nelspruit for an explosion at a house. Upon arrival another ambulance was already on scene and was waiting outside the house.

According to bystanders, a white vehicle drove passed the house and through something through one of the bedroom windows. A loud explosion ripped through the neighborhood. One of the neighbors said it was so powerful that he thought his house is going to fall apart.


ER24 waited for the SAPS Bomb Squad to arrive on scene before they entered into the house. A 14 year old girl was in the house when the explosion occurred with her family.

Whilst emergency services waited outside the girl appeared from the house. She was covered in blood and was rapidly transported to the Rob Ferreirra Hospital in Nelsruit and transfered shortly after to the Nelspruit MediClinic by ER24 ambulance. She is currently in a stable condition.


The bomb squad and paramedics entered the house and found a women believed to be in her late 50's and an eight year old girl dead in the room of the explosion. They sustained severe body injuries and paramedics could do nothing to save their lives.

Some of the officials on scene mentioned that a it appears that a hand grenade was used to set off the explosion.


The eight year old girls was visiting her family from Durban for the holidays.


SAPS remain on scene to investigate. No one else have been found in the house at this time.

Anyone with details acn call the Mpumalanga serious and violent crimes unit's Captain Ockie Brits on 082 565 7266

What would you do ?!

On 3 May 2006 we received a call from the public that people are jumping from a building in JHB CBD. On arrival on scene we quickly learnt that it was a building fire and people are indeed jumping from the building. A mother of a 8 month old baby was on the top floor of the building. - Five storey building -. It is to be believed that the mother and her boyfriend had an argument and he set the flat alight. The mother went out on the balcony and dropped her baby from the fifth floor to the ground, she followed shortly afterwards.

A brave MR Ndlovu caught the baby before it plunged into the ground. The baby escaped unharmed and was later treated by paramedics for smoke inhalation. The baby's mother was admitted to a nearby hospital for a couple broken bones.

Head-on Result in Fire

The other day we were coming back from Baragwanath Hospital and decided to take back routes through Jo'burg for a quick cup of coffee at Clearwater. My partner said she know a quicker route through Weltevredenpark, as we turn down in Albert Street we saw this..... A car collided head on with another car. When we arrived on scene we only saw smoke, no flames. We climbed out and suddenly an explosion ripped through the neigbourhood. The car is busy exploding... or sounded like it is. The driver of this unfortunate vehicle was pulled out of the car just before it burst into flames. Luckily we had no injuries on scene.

A Siren in the Distance

As a rule of thumb, motorists should always move as far to their left as possible to make way for emergency vehicles, however, not so far that they go into the Emergency Lane as this will always be our first choice of route.


On our congested roads, ambulances rushing from accident to accident are a commonplace occurrence. However, precisely because our roads are so grid-locked with traffic, paramedics struggle to weave their ambulances to their patients.


People react stupid when they see an ambulance or hear an ambulance behind them. Some people hit anchors the moment they see or hear us. The public in general get upset with emergency vehicles passing through.


A further frustration for paramedics is when people refuse to go through red traffic lights in order to make way for the emergency response vehicle. Some motorists won’t, under any circumstances, go over a red traffic light, or move into an intersection before the traffic light turns green, for fear of getting a fine. They need to understand that should they receive a fine, they simply let authorities know that they ignored the red traffic light as they were taking evasive action to clear path for an emergency vehicle. If there is a camera at an intersection, it will take a photo of the ambulance too – making it easy to prove.


Motorists who travel with their music very loud don’t hear us behind them and don’t concentrate on the passing emergency vehicle.

The Silent Heroes

Motor Vehicle accidents are a daily and common thing for our families and friends. Accidents always receive plenty coverage by the media, but the paramedics and other rescuers go un-thanked for the work that they do.


Horrific scenes work subconsciously on these paramedics on a daily basis. A paramedic once said that: “Our job is a passion, a calling. The desire to be a paramedic is in your blood. It is in no way a decision you can enter to lightly. Neither is it a career on chooses for the money, hours or work environment.


Losing a patient is a terrible think to face, something which we have to deal with constantly. The hardest part of the job is when you are unable to save a child or baby. They are robbed of their lives much too soon. Losing older patients are slightly easier as they have at least had a chance to experience life.”


“Occasionally we respond to scenes where the patient is a friend, family member, acquaintance or colleague, these are particularly difficult o deal with, especially when you know there is nothing you can do to save their life”




Source: CAXTON// N Belseck

Unusual Flooding in Wilgeheuwel

Flooding occurred recently in Nic Diedericks drive next to the Panorama Cemetery. Citi Golf was swept from the road after a flash flood passed over this narrow road. This road is not common for flooding and no trace of previous flooding was found. Paramedics searched hours for the driver, only to realise that he escaped with no injuries earlier and went home.

Standing Co-driver

How safe is your child

The risk of small children being killed or seriously injured is five times higher when not restrained in a vehicle. Often we see parents let their children stand on the front seat or between the two front seats. This can cause instant death to your little loved one or even kill you.

Accidents happen in a split second and can sometimes not be avoided. What will happen to your child when you suddenly stop; he/she will fly like a rocket against the object in front of him/her. A body travels on average twice the speed the car is moving against the dashboard or windscreen, causing severe injuries or death. There is no chance of you grabbing your child in such an event.

Parents also let their children ride on their lap unrestrained. I have witnessed numerous accidents when the parents cry, “I held him tight”. The only thing you are doing is using your child as an artificial airbag. There is no chance of holding your child on your lap, you are also moving forward for a split second with your safety belt on.

Children’s heads are bigger in relation to their body than an adult’s head. When you suddenly stop, a child is easily susceptible to severe head and neck injuries, the famous whiplash.

This is how much the risk of injury decreases compared with someone not using a safety belt:

1. Rear-facing child car seat 90-95%
2. Forward-facing seat with safety belt/cushion 50-60%
3. Only seat belt (adult) 50%

Remember to disconnect your front passenger airbag when your child is in a car seat.

Did you know that the law states that; a child may NOT ride in the front seat of a motor vehicle with an active passenger airbag if the child is:

1. Under one year of age
2. Weighs less than 27kg
3. Riding in a rear-facing child passenger restraint system

Children must be secured in the back seat of a vehicle until they are 6 years old or 27kg. Exceptions are:

1. There is no rear seat
2. The rear seats are side-facing jump seats
3. The rear seats are rear-facing seats
4. The child passenger restraint system cannot be installed properly in the rear seat
5. Children under that age of 12 years already occupy all rear seats

Thus children are five times safer riding in the back seat of a car – restrained – behind the driver seat. This way you can still keep an eye on your child in the rear view mirror.

If you are involved in an accident with your child, do not move your child if his position is not life threatening. Call Emergency Services immediately and inform the controller about the accident. A child has to be seen by a doctor after an accident due to their somewhat floppy bodies. An injury can easily go unnoticed.

Death by Collsion

Death toll in South Africa over the Christmas Holidays 2005

Traffic Collisions

Total deaths of 1416

Pedestrians 600

Passengers 414

Drivers 289

Not Specified 113

10% of total were children between the ages of 0 and 14 years.

Statistics released by national press

Traffic Collisions Part4

Traffic Collisions Part3

Traffic Collisions Part1

Traffic Collisions Part2