Three dead, 12 injured as truck swerves to avoid taxi, rolls into bystanders in Roodepoort

Three people were been killed and 12 sustained minor to serious injuries in a truck rollover on the R41 in Witpoortjie, Roodepoort, on Sunday afternoon.

It is believed the truck had swerved to avoid a stationary taxi and rolled into several people on the side of the road, said ER24 spokesperson Ross Campbell.

“ER24 paramedics were on scene at 14:22 along with GPG [Gauteng provincial government] and the City of Joburg Fire Department. All the patients are believed to have been adults.

“Two of the patients are believed to be from the truck and the remainder unfortunate bystanders. Two people were found trapped under the truck and a third just behind it on the ground – all three had suffered fatal injuries and were declared dead on arrival,” Campbell said.

ER24 treated and transported six people – one of whom was in a serious condition and required advanced life support interventions.

All were transported to Leratong Hospital for further care. One other private service on the scene treated and transported one person and the other five were treated and transported by provincial ambulance services.

“Heavy rescue was called to move the truck and metro police were also on scene for further investigations,” Campbell said.

In another incident, a 53-year-old man has lost his life after his motorbike collided with a truck on the N3 on the way up Van Reenen’s Pass on Sunday afternoon.

According to ER24 spokesperson Ross Campbell, it is believed the man was taking part in a memorial ride for a fallen biker with his motorcycle club when the incident took place.

“ER24 paramedics were on the scene at 16:20. The Road Traffic Inspectorate, the N3TC [N3 Toll Concession] road patrol as well as the Van Reenen police were already on the scene. The bike as well as the man were found lying in the Johannesburg-bound fast lane of the N3. The man had suffered multiple fatal injuries and showed no signs of life. He was declared dead on arrival,” Campbell said.

Many of the motorcycle club riders were still on the scene at the time of the death declaration and local authorities were in attendance for investigations, Campbell added.

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