Five Cars Collide on N1

Seven people escaped from serious injuries this afternoon when five cars collided on the N1 north between William Nicol and Rivonia Drives.

It is believed that a white VW bakkie was towing a Mitsubishi delivery vehicle when a car allegedly swerved in front of them. According to bystanders on the scene, the two vehicles lost control and then collided with several other vehicles on the highway before coming to stand still on top of each other. The Mitsubishi and the VW bakkie landed on top of each other causing the two occupants of the Mitsubishi to be injured.

A 26 and 27 year old male sustained moderate injuries and were transported by ER24 to the Sunninghill Hospital for further management.

Fortunately the occupants of a Mercedes, Mazda, Renault and the VW bakkie was not injured, but assessed on the scene.

The Johannesburg Fire Department and Metro Police arrived first on the scene, only to find the chaos on the highway. The fast lane of the N1 highway in the direction of Rivonia was closed, but onlookers on the opposite side of the highway caused a backup of traffic passed the Buccleuch Interchange. The fast lane was reopened shortly after the patients were removed from the scene.

One Killed, One Airlifted After Truck Accident

At approximately 11h20 this morning ER24 received an emergency call for a serious accident on the N1 highway approximately four kilometers before the Grassmere Tollplaza.

When paramedics arrived on the scene, they found that a truck carrying steel overturned on the highway in the direction of Johannesburg. It is believed that the truck was on its way to Johannebsurg from Meyerton.

A 24 year old man was crushed under the the rear wheels of the truck and there was nothing that paramedics could do for him. He was declared dead on the scene. Six other occupants of the truck were found lying scattered next to the partially overturned truck.

Three of the occupants were in a serious condition and one had to to be airlifted with the air ambulance to the Chris-Hani Baragwanath Hospital for further medical treatment. Another three occupants sustained only minor injuries and was transported along with the remaining patients to a nearby hospital.

The exact cause for the accident is not yet known, but it is believed that the truck apparently lost control and veered off the road into a small ditch before it proceeded to travel a couple of metres through an open veld next to the highway. The truck was found under a tree next to the highway.

Authorities closed off the highway in the direction of Johannesburg during the helicopter operation. The fire fighters on scene had to use heavy duty rescue equipment to stabilize and lift the truck before the body of the deceased could be removed.

The Johannesburg Metro Police Department will be investigating the accident.

Biker Killed in Parktown Crash

A 26 year old man was killed this morning when his bike crashed into the passenger side of a Citi Golf in 7th Avenue, Parktown North.

It is believed that the Golf and the motorbike was travelling towards Rosebank when the accident occurred. According to bystanders on the scene, the Golf slowed down to turn into a driveway on 7th Avenue when the bike crashed into it.

The impact was so great that it caused the Golf to overturn and the bike was ripped into pieces.

When paramedics arrived on the scene, they found the man lying on the opposite side of the Golf. The biker sustained major injuries and there was nothing that paramedics could do to save his life. Netcare paramedics declared him dead on the scene. The driver of the Golf sustained minor injuries and was treated on the scene. The patient was later transported to the Rosebank Clinic for further treatment.

The road was blocked off in the direction of Rosebank and the Johannesburg Metro Police will be investigating this incident. It is believed that a family member of the deceased arrived on the scene. No personal information was obtained.

ER24, Johannesburg Fire, JMPD and Netcare attended the scene.

Multiple Truck Accident Claims One Life

A man was killed and four others seriously injured when their car and three trucks collided on the R59 just outside of Sasolburg this morning.

According paramedics on the scene, the vehicle was so badly mangled that the driver was killed instantly and four others had to be rescued. They are all in a serious condition. The three trucks, believed to be from the Department of Labour, was also travelling on the same road in the direction of Parys when the crash occurred. The impact was so severe, that it caused chaos on the small road resulting in all the vehicles to collide with each other.

Paramedics and rescue workers had to close off the R59 in the direction Parys during the rescue. It is not known where the occupants of the car were headed to before the accident.

Two of the seriously injured occupants were transported to the Vereeniging MediClinic and the remaining two were transported to the Vaal Park Hospital for further medical treatment.

No one in the trucks were injured.

The exact cause for the accident is not known, but it is believed that heavy roadworks are present at the location of the accident. The local authorities will be investigating this accident.

Two Killed in Taxi Violence, Child Shot

Two people have been killed in yet another suspected taxi violence incident this evening.

According to bystanders on the scene, a passing taxi opened fire on taxis parked next to the Hendrik Potgieter driveway outside Makro at about 18h40. It is understood that there was a return in gunfire from the parked taxis.

When paramedics arrived on the scene, they found two males lying next to one of the taxis. Both of them sustained gunshot wounds and was declared dead on the scene. A few metres away from the scene stood a silver Nissan Sentra with two patients inside of it. It was later known that the Nissan was parked next to Hendrik Potgieter waiting for friends to escort them to a supper meeting.

According to the friend who arrived on the scene, he spoke to the driver of the Nissan approximately two minutes before the incident to inform them that they were on their way. Shortly after he received another phone call from his friend informing him that they were shot.

A young boy, believed to be about six years old along with his father was shot inside of the Nissan. Both of them sustained gunshot wounds and had to rushed off to a nearby hospital by Netcare.

The paramedics from ER24 and Provincial Services declared the two men dead near the taxi. It is also believed that the SAPS recovered a firearm on the scene. The scene was spread out approximately 100 metres with cartridges lying between the vehicles.

The exact reason for the shoot-out is not known. A total of four people were treated on the scene and two were killed. It is not known how many occupants were in the taxis and if they fled the scene during the gunfire.

The Johannesburg Police Services will be investigating the scene. ER24, Netcare and Provincial EMS attended the scene.

Plane nose-dives into Jhb house

Johannesburg - A light aircraft nose-dived into a Johannesburg house on Wednesday night, seriously injuring its pilot and co-pilot, said rescue workers.
The Piper Seneca took the roof off the patio of the house in Greenacres Street, Birdhaven, near the Wanderers cricket stadium, at 17:50, said Johannesburg fire and emergency management services spokesperson Malcolm Midgley.
It landed up on its nose, wedged between a tree and the house. "The tail was almost touching the nose," he said.
Rescue workers had to stabilise the aircraft before they started "hammering and bashing" to try to save the co-pilot, who was trapped in the wreckage.
They also had to blanket the area with foam to prevent it catching fire.
The Piper Seneca is fuelled by Avgas, which is as volatile as paint thinners, said Midgley.
Fuel very volatile
The two men in the aircraft were lucky there had been no fire when they crashed, he said.
"If there was fire, they wouldn't have survived because of that fuel being so volatile."
Police said the aircraft had been en route from Lanseria airport to Grand Central Airport at the time of the crash.
Midgley said Civil Aviation Authority officials at the scene indicated that the aircraft was being flown back after undergoing "some form of repairs or maintenance".
He could not comment on reports that the pilot was thrown from the aircraft during the crash, but said he had been "easily accessible".
Mainly facial injuries
It is understood he was taken to the Milpark Hospital in a serious condition.
It took rescue workers an hour to extricate the trapped co-pilot. However, he was "quite lucky", said Midgley.
"...he has mainly facial injuries... we can't find anything else major," he said.
He had also apparently been taken to the Milpark Hospital.
No one in the house was injured.
Johannesburg police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Eugene Opperman said the CAA was investigating the crash.

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Paramedics Killed in Highway Crash

Two paramedics, a patient and a driver of a truck were all killed this morning in a horror accident on the N1 about 35 kilometres outside of Polokwane.

It is believed that a Provincial Ambulance and a bakery truck collided partially head on on the highway at around 5 o'clock this morning. Paramedics that arrived on the scene described it as chaotic, sad and horrific.

An advanced life support paramedic and his female assistant was travelling with the patient in the back of the ambulance at the time. One of the medics and the patient died on impact. According to the paramedics on scene, the patient and the medics sustained major injuries and was declared dead on the scene.

It is not known what the patient were being treated for at the time of transportation or crash. The driver of the ambulance was also killed. The female assistant, who was also with the patient at the time, sustained moderate injuries and was rushed off by ER24 to the Polokwane Provincial Hospital.

The driver of the truck that was involved in the crash also died on impact. He also sustained major injuries to his body.

The N1 was closed for almost three hours after the crash.

Five Injured in Highway Crash

Five people were injured this morning when three cars collided with each other on top of the Rivonia bridge.

It is believed that a green Citi Golf broke down and pulled into the emergency lane. Three of the men who was in the vehicle at the time, moved to the front of the vehicle to see if they can fix it.

According to the friends, they called another friend who arrived shortly after. Whilst the two vehicles were parked off in the emergency a lane, a blue Audi A3 allegedly lost control and drove into the back of the broken down Golf.

The vehicle smashed into the Golf and pushed it into the three people standing in front of the golf. All of them sustained multiple injuries and was stabilized by paramedics.

The driver of the Audi was transported to the Sandton Medi Clinic for further medical treatment. The patients were transported to the Sunninghill hospital.

Two Die in Meyerton Explosion

A family of five was involved in a serious explosion at their home in Meyerton last night.

It is believed that the gas cylinder of a heater, standing in the family room, exploded. Three kids aged 13, ten and seven, managed to run to the side of the house where they escaped through burglar bars.

The 13 year old boy broke the window with his fist. His brother and sister managed to follow him through the broken window to the outside. The mother and father could not escape and was burnt to death.

A neighbour helped the kids over the wall to escape to the front of the house. The neighbour sustained injuries to his abdomen and ankle whilst assisting the kids.

The kids and neighbour were treated on the scene, but family members took care of the kids and transported them to a nearby family house.

The Midvaal Municipality managed to extinguish the fire later that night.

The scene will be investigated.

Horse Killed on Highway

A horse was killed yesterday morning on the N1 highway when it ran across the road.

According to the driver of a Nissan Almera, which collided with the horse, he tried to swerve, but was unable to do so in time. He mentioned that there were to horses at the time. The other horse ran away after the collision.

Paramedics were attending to another scene on the Rivonia Bridge at the time. ER24 and JMPD and the Fire Department made their way down the highway to assist. On arrival they found a horse lying in the middle of the slow lane with massive injuries to its head and neck.

The driver of the Nissan fortunately sustained no injuries. According to the driver of the Nissan, he was on his way to Venda for a short holiday when the accident occurred.

ER24 and JMPD tried to contact the SPCA, but they could not be reached. The owner of the horse was traced down early this morning. They will assist in removing the horse

Three Injured in Late Night Crash

Three people were injured on Friday night in a serious collision on the corners of Rinyani and Landhuis Streets in Allen's Nek.

A white Citi Golf carrying two young male occupants were involved in a crash with a white VW Golf II when one of the vehicle's allegedly skipped the stop street.

When paramedics arrived on the scene, they found both of the vehicles partially through a fence of a house situated on the corners. Paramedics quickly noticed that two of the occupants were trapped in their vehicles and the Fire Department had to be called in.

The driver of the VW Golf II - who recently moved up from Cape Town to Johannesburg - sustained serious chest injuries and was trapped in his vehicle. The Fire Department from Station 20 had to use the jaws-of-life to rescue the trapped man. A second rescue had to be conducted with the jaws-of-life on the other Golf to rescue the trapped passenger. The driver of the Citi Golf were found outside of his vehicle. Both of the occupants of the Citi Golf sustained multiple injuries.

The driver of the Golf II was transported by ER24 to Helen Jospeh Hospital in a stable condition. The remainder of the patients were transported to Life Flora and Olivedale Clinic by ER24 and Netcare.

The exact cause for the accident is not known and the JMPD's Accident Investigation Unit attended the scene.