Emergency services in town were stretched thin this past weekend as the town experienced a notable increase in traffic accidents.
From minor fender-benders to tragic fatalities, the dedicated teams of Msukaligwa Fire and Rescue, the local police, ER24, and provincial ambulance services worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of the community and the swift restoration of traffic flow.
The critical assistance provided by several emergency towing services also played a vital role in managing these incidents.
In some instances, the drivers were fortunate to emerge unscathed, but that wasn’t the case for everyone involved.
Several key areas in Ermelo bore witness to these unfortunate accidents, leaving both drivers and emergency responders with harrowing experiences.
Notably affected locations included Kerk Street, the intersection at the Boxer store and the Hendrina road, the entrance at Kralingbergh Guest House on the Breyten road, and Lothair road.
The accident on Kerk Street on Friday morning involved a small car and a truck transporting vehicles.
The heavy vehicle required two lanes to execute a turn onto Kerk Street, and a misjudgment by the small car driver led to the collision.
No injuries were reported in this particular incident.
Later that same day at the Boxer intersection, a minibus taxi collided with a Volkswagen Polo.
This accident caused a significant slowdown in traffic during the rush hour, but the traffic controllers’ efforts helped ease congestion.
The presence of Msukaligwa Fire and Rescue, local police, provincial ambulance services, and towing services was instrumental in managing the situation.
Injuries on the scene were reported.
A particularly severe accident unfolded on the Breyten road near the Kralingberg Guest House entrance on Saturday morning, involving a Ford bakkie and a truck.
The bakkie driver sustained critical injuries in the collision.
The force of the impact caused the bakkie to collide head-on with a tree.
The driver lost an arm.
The injured individual is now in a stable condition at Ermelo Hospital. Msukaligwa Fire and Rescue, traffic control, ER24, provincial ambulance services, and the local police were on the scene.
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Tragedy struck later that night when an accident on the Lothair road claimed the life of a motorcyclist.
Due to the distressing nature of the scene, no photos were available for publication.
It is believed that the motorcycle had collided with a car, also on its way to Lothair.
The motorcyclist ended up beneath the car, suffering severe injuries.
The road between Ermelo and Lothair had to be temporarily closed due to the presence of scattered body parts on the scene.
Motorists were advised to seek alternative routes, though some opted to wait for several hours until the road was reopened.
Van Wettens, Ermelo Towing Services, and the local police were on hand to manage the situation.
Mandla Zwane, the spokesperson of the Msukaligwa Local Municipality and Msukaligwa Fire and Rescue commented:
“The municipality would like to extend its heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones on our roads and wish those who were injured or hospitalised a speedy recovery.”
Zwane said the fire stations are strategically placed all over Msukaligwa to ensure that fire engines attend to any scene swiftly. “All these stations work interactive and are not standalone fire stations.”
