Two women escape death as their car crashes into palm tree

Two women cheated death on Friday when their vehicle crashed into a palm tree in Durban's plush Umhlanga suburb.

Lunchtime traffic came to a standstill while emergency workers attempted to free the elderly woman and a domestic worker from the wreckage.

Crisis Medical spokesperson Kyle van Reenen said the driver and passenger, aged between 40 and 70, had to be cut free with jaws-of-life at Umhlanga Ridge's Millennial Way.

"They were placed on to specialised stretchers used for the treatment and prevention of spinal cord injuries.

"They were transported to hospital under the care of intermediate life support medics.

"Traffic was severely affected as two lanes were closed to allow emergency workers space to work," Van Reenen said.