Two dead, including 6-year-old, after water tanker crashes into PMB homes

Two people, including a six-year-old child, were killed when a water tanker transporting drinking water to Edendale in Pietermaritzburg crashed into two homes on Sunday evening.

Mi7 Emergency Medical Services arrived on scene to find “widespread devastation”.

“Other emergency service providers had already transported five patients from the scene — including a 13-year-old child extricated from beneath the wreckage in critical condition, two adults, and a six-month-old infant. The driver of the tanker was also transported to nearby medical facilities for further care,” said Mi7 national group director Colin David.

Mi7 EMS teams remained on site to assist with continued rescue efforts.

“Two additional individuals were unaccounted for, prompting an extensive extrication operation led by the Pietermaritzburg fire department and police search and rescue teams,” said David.

“Two hours into the search, rescuers located the body of a six-year-old child trapped beneath the debris.

“A further two hours later, the body of an adult female was recovered from the rubble. Mi7 EMS paramedics performed on-scene declarations of death for both victims.”

TimesLIVE