Community members tried to save taxi crash victims

Members of the Msunduzi Valley community near Pietermaritzburg rushed to the scene of a horrific accident that claimed 18 lives on Sunday morning in an attempt to save passengers who had been flung out of a taxi which rolled down an embankment‚ paramedics said.

“Paramedics were informed that members of the community had rushed approximately twelve patients to a nearby clinic roughly 100 metres away‚” said ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring.

“Upon arrival‚ paramedics found that twelve patients lying in the clinic being treated by their staff. Assessments showed that five had sustained critical injuries while the remaining had sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious.”

Paramedics assisted in treating the injured and administered advanced life support to some.

“Unfortunately‚ after some time‚ three critically injured patients succumbed to their injuries and were declared dead.”

Meanwhile‚ over a dozen people were declared dead on the scene.

They had been flung out of the taxi which was found lying on its roof at the bottom of an embankment.

“Fifteen bodies were found lying around the vehicle. Paramedics assessed the patients and found that all fifteen had already succumbed to their multiple injuries. Nothing more could be done for them and they were declared dead on the scene‚” Meiring said.

It was not immediately clear what had led to the crash.

The vehicle had hit a barrier on the main road in the valley and plunged down an embankment.

It was also not immediately clear whether any children had been injured or killed in the crash.