PRETORIA – Rescuers had battled to free taxi passengers trapped in the wreckage of a minibus taxi which collided with a truck in Germiston.
Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services spokesman William Ntladi said at least 14 occupants of the Toyota Siyaya, including the driver were injured in the collision.
“The incident was received at around 11.10 this morning [Thursday] It happened at the intersection of Linton Jones Road and Miller Street, adjacent to the Enterprise company,” said Ntladi.
“Currently, rescuers are busy with extrication. Five passengers are trapped inside the taxi.”
Ntladi said various medics raced to the scene to transport the injured passengers to medical facilities. “Thus far, the intersection is temporarily closed for traffic till after the operation,” he said shortly after the accident occurred.
On Wednesday night, five people were killed in a collision when a light motor vehicle collided with a petrol tanker and caught fire.
Ntladi said the five family members travelling in the car died in the blaze which was attended to by the City of Ekurhuleni, assisted by crews from the City of Johannesburg.
“It was reported by an off-duty firefighter. On arrival, both vehicles were well alight,” he said .
Ntladi added that a specialised foam tanker and water tankers were used to contain and eventually extinguish the blaze. “In what seems to have been the entire family inside the light motor vehicle, five perished and burnt beyond recognition.
“Both the truck driver and assistant sustained critical injuries and were transported to nearby hospital for further medical care. The cause of the crash is undetermined and still under investigation by law enforcement officials,” he said.
Ntladi said the operation to douse the flames involved about 50 firefighters both the City of Ekurhuleni and City of Johannesburg.
Last month, at least 17 people were burnt beyond recognition, while eight others escaped with injuries, in a head-on collision involving a 22-seater bus and a Toyota SUV on the N1 near Mookgophong off-ramp in Limpopo.
IOL