EIGHT people died – five burnt beyond recognition – in a car crash outside Queenstown yesterday afternoon. The accident happened on the N6 at 2pm when a Toyota Avanza and Hyundai minibus collided head-on.
Seven people were rushed to hospital. Two are in a critical condition, and the others are said to be in stable conditions. Authorities are yet to establish the cause of the crash, but it is believed the Avanza was travelling to King William’s Town and the minibus was transporting drivers contracted to Avis car rental to Queenstown.
The Avanza caught fire after the collision, trapping five passengers. Two passengers who managed to escape from the burning wreck died of their injuries outside the vehicle before emergency services arrived. No one in the Avanza survived and one person in the minibus died.
The N6 was closed for an hour as rescue workers cleared the scene. Queenstown police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Namhla Mdleleni was on the scene within minutes.
She said the accident had occurred 5km outside Queenstown in the direction of East London. She said the minibus belonged to Avis had eight passengers. Avis East London yesterday confirmed the minibus belonged to them, and although the company would not officially comment on the accident, it was learnt that the bus was transporting contract employees to Queenstown to fetch seven of their fleet vehicles.
The identities of the deceased have not been released yet. Eastern Cape health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said six patients had been admitted to Frontier Hospital in Queenstown.
“A seventh patient was transported to a private hospital,” Kupelo said. A case of culpable homicide is being investigated by Queenstown police, Mdleleni said.
Arrive Alive spokesman Tshepo Machaea said it was alleged that the Avanza was overtaking when it collided with the Hyundai. “We are going to be looking into that. It is one of the worst accidents we have come across because five people were burnt beyond recognition,” Machaea said. Efforts are underway to identify the bodies of those who died, Machaea said. “Transport MEC Weziwe Tikana has stressed that we do whatever we can to assist the families of those who died,” he said.
● In a second fatal accident yesterday, one person died when a vehicle in which he was travelling collided with another vehicle on the N2 near Grahamstown. Police said the deceased was a hitchhiker travelling in a Nissan Livina towards Port Elizabeth when it collided with a Toyota Prado heading towards Grahamstown. His identity is still not known.
A 15-year-old girl suffered serious head injuries and was airlifted to Greenacres Hospital in Port Elizabeth. Police spokeswoman Captain Milanda Coetzer said the accident occurred just after 9am. A case of culpable homicide had been opened for investigation, she said.
Eight die in horrific head-on accident outside Queenstown
EIGHT people died – five burnt beyond recognition – in a car crash outside Queenstown yesterday afternoon. The accident happened on the N6 at 2pm when a Toyota Avanza and Hyundai minibus collided head-on.
Seven people were rushed to hospital. Two are in a critical condition, and the others are said to be in stable conditions. Authorities are yet to establish the cause of the crash, but it is believed the Avanza was travelling to King William’s Town and the minibus was transporting drivers contracted to Avis car rental to Queenstown.
The Avanza caught fire after the collision, trapping five passengers. Two passengers who managed to escape from the burning wreck died of their injuries outside the vehicle before emergency services arrived. No one in the Avanza survived and one person in the minibus died.
The N6 was closed for an hour as rescue workers cleared the scene. Queenstown police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Namhla Mdleleni was on the scene within minutes.
She said the accident had occurred 5km outside Queenstown in the direction of East London. She said the minibus belonged to Avis had eight passengers. Avis East London yesterday confirmed the minibus belonged to them, and although the company would not officially comment on the accident, it was learnt that the bus was transporting contract employees to Queenstown to fetch seven of their fleet vehicles.
The identities of the deceased have not been released yet. Eastern Cape health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said six patients had been admitted to Frontier Hospital in Queenstown.
“A seventh patient was transported to a private hospital,” Kupelo said. A case of culpable homicide is being investigated by Queenstown police, Mdleleni said.
Arrive Alive spokesman Tshepo Machaea said it was alleged that the Avanza was overtaking when it collided with the Hyundai. “We are going to be looking into that. It is one of the worst accidents we have come across because five people were burnt beyond recognition,” Machaea said. Efforts are underway to identify the bodies of those who died, Machaea said. “Transport MEC Weziwe Tikana has stressed that we do whatever we can to assist the families of those who died,” he said.
● In a second fatal accident yesterday, one person died when a vehicle in which he was travelling collided with another vehicle on the N2 near Grahamstown. Police said the deceased was a hitchhiker travelling in a Nissan Livina towards Port Elizabeth when it collided with a Toyota Prado heading towards Grahamstown. His identity is still not known.
A 15-year-old girl suffered serious head injuries and was airlifted to Greenacres Hospital in Port Elizabeth. Police spokeswoman Captain Milanda Coetzer said the accident occurred just after 9am. A case of culpable homicide had been opened for investigation, she said.
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