Johannesburg – Four people were killed and another was seriously injured and airlifted to hospital in two separate road accidents in the Free State and in Gauteng on Friday, paramedics said.
Four people were killed when the car they were travelling in smashed into a truck trailer that had allegedly become detached from the truck on the R59 in Vaalpark in Sasolburg in the Northern Free State on Friday afternoon, ER24 spokesperson Ineke van Huyssteen said in a statement.
When ER24 paramedics arrived at the scene shortly after 4pm, they found a vehicle lying on its side on the side of the road and a trailer also off the road on the side.
"Upon further assessment, paramedics found four people inside the vehicle who were showing no signs of life. They were declared dead at the scene by paramedics. The man from the vehicle towing the trailer sustained no injuries."
The exact circumstances surrounding the accident were not known to ER24 paramedics, but local authorities were on the scene for further investigations, Van Huyssteen said.
In another accident, in Alberton in Ekurhuleni, a pedestrian was seriously injured when he was knocked down by a vehicle on Ring Road on Friday afternoon.
ER24 paramedics were flagged down by a passing motorist shortly after 3pm. Upon their arrival at the scene of the accident, multiple vehicle towing services were already there.
"Upon further assessment, paramedics found a man lying in the road who had sustained moderate to serious injuries. ER24 paramedics initiated advanced life-support interventions before the man was airlifted to hospital by a private medical helicopter for further medical care."
The exact circumstances surrounding this incident were also not known to ER24 paramedics, but local authorities were also in the scene to investigate, Van Huyssteen said.