Girl,14, killed, seven other schoolchildren injured in crash

Girl, 14 years old, killed and seven others hurt when taxi overturned on 2 February.

Meiring said paramedics assessed the child and found that she had sustained numerous fatal injuries. File photo.

One child was killed and seven others were injured when their school taxi overturned on the N12 between Fochville and Westonaria on Thursday, 2 February.

Russel Meiring, the ER24 spokesperson, says that ER24 paramedics along with other services arrived on the scene and found the taxi and trailer lying on the side of the road. Several children were found lying around the vehicle.

“Local authorities began to close off part of the road while paramedics inspected the scene. The body of a girl, believed to be 14 years old, was found lying a short distance from the vehicle,” Meiring said.

Paramedics assessed the child and found that she had sustained numerous fatal injuries. Unfortunately nothing could be done for her and she was declared dead on the scene.

Meiring said further that seven other children were found on the scene. Assessments showed that their injuries ranged from minor to serious. Paramedics treated them, and provided the seriously injured patients with advanced life support interventions.

Once treated, the patients were transported to various hospitals in the area for further treatment. One of the seriously injured patients was airlifted by a private medical helicopter to a hospital for urgent treatment.

The cause of the collision is not yet known but local authorities were on scene for further investigations.

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