Umdloti crash most devastating of my career: Medic
A paramedic who responded to the horrific crash in Umdloti, north of Durban yesterday has described the crash as being among the worst he has seen in a career spanning almost 20 years.
Seven people, including a pregnant woman, were killed when a bakkie and a truck collided head-on along the M27 yesterday afternoon.
Netcare911's Shawn Herbst says emergency services raced to the scene not knowing what to expect.
Herbst says the initial visuals of the bakkie did not look to out of the ordinary, but their perspective changed the closer they got to the wreckage.
"I was absolutely blown back by the extent of the devastation. Something I have not seen in almost 20 years working in emergency medical services," said Herbst.
Firefighters worked tirelessly to cut the driver of the bakkie from the wreckage.
"They used the jaws of life to rapidly free him. Unfortunately as medics pulled him from the vehicle he went into cardiac arrest and passed away on the roadside," said Herbst.
"A pregnant woman was thrown maybe 30 metres from the wreckage. CPR was initiated by an advanced life support paramedic, but her injuries were just too severe and she was declared deceased."
Police photographers were at the scene well into the night documenting evidence.
Netcare911's Shawn Herbst says emergency services raced to the scene not knowing what to expect.
Herbst says the initial visuals of the bakkie did not look to out of the ordinary, but their perspective changed the closer they got to the wreckage.
"I was absolutely blown back by the extent of the devastation. Something I have not seen in almost 20 years working in emergency medical services," said Herbst.
Firefighters worked tirelessly to cut the driver of the bakkie from the wreckage.
"They used the jaws of life to rapidly free him. Unfortunately as medics pulled him from the vehicle he went into cardiac arrest and passed away on the roadside," said Herbst.
"A pregnant woman was thrown maybe 30 metres from the wreckage. CPR was initiated by an advanced life support paramedic, but her injuries were just too severe and she was declared deceased."
Police photographers were at the scene well into the night documenting evidence.
