A male patient was rescued by the Tshwane Emergency Services firefighter, together with emergency medical crews from the Gauteng Emergency Medical Service and other private ambulance services from a vehicle that was partially trapped under a truck. The incident occurred on the R101 near Murray Hill, in Tshwane on 24 April 2021 at approximately 16h30.
Engine E192 from Station 13 (Temba, Hamanskraal) with a crew of four personnel arrived on the scene to find a light motor vehicle hit on the side by a truck which had landed off the road with a male patient trapped on the driver’s side. A bakkie that allegedly drove off the road to avoid collision with the truck became stuck under the front of the truck. Other ambulances, including E192 crew arrived on the scene to treat the patients. The crews immediately prioritised stabilising and extricating the trapped patient.
Immediately after surveying the scene, the required extrication tools were staged near the trapped car. The vehicle was wedged with cribbing to stabilise it and access was immediately created by removing both passenger doors and the B-post to get a medic inside to secure the patient and commence emergency medical treatment. A soon as the patient was stabilised, the roof of the vehicle was removed to create more working space.
The weight of the truck was resting on the light motor vehicle, making it difficult to free the patient whose legs were trapped from the knees down. Rescue personnel cleared the car parts around the patient, including the hand brake, dashboard, steering wheel, and any other part around the driver’s side until they could insert a spine board and slide him up and out of the vehicle. The extrication operations lasted approximately 40 minutes due to the complexity of the scene and the time paramedics needed to administer intravenous fluids and medications.
The male patient suffered multiple fractures to both legs and multiple injuries to various body parts. He was transported to hospital in a critical condition. Two patients with minor injuries refused transportation to a medical facility, while three patients with minor to moderate injuries and another two with moderate to serious injuries were transported to various medical facilities around Tshwane.
The response resources that were on the scene included a command vehicle from Station 5 with two personnel, a video unit from Station 5 with one personnel, a vehicle from the Tshwane Metro Police with two personnel, Tshwane Ambulance and Primary Response Vehicle (PRV) from Station 5 with three personnel, Hammanskraal South African Police Service, Gauteng Provincial Government PRV, an ambulance from Jubilee Hospital and various private ambulances..
The success of the rescue and extrication as well as the treatment and the management of the scene is credited to the professional manner and collaboration of all first responders on scene.
Report a fire or life-threatening emergency on 107 or alternatively call 012 358 6300/6400.
Issued by the City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department
