Fatal crash on Swartkoppies Road claims one life

A man has passed away following a fatal single motor vehicle crash on Swartkoppies Road in Alberton on the night of August 25.

Firefighters and rescue teams from the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) had to use specialised hydraulic rescue equipment to free and recover the critically entrapped driver of an SUV after it crashed against a tree.

Teams from Alberton and Katlehong fire stations both received the call at 22:00 via the CoE Life-threatening Call Centre and simultaneously responded to the scene.

On arrival, both teams found the only driver still trapped behind the steering wheel.

Jaws-of-life equipment was immediately applied to access and free the unresponsive driver from the vehicle.

Paramedics attempted pre-hospital medical treatment to revive the patient without success, and he was declared dead on scene.

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Preliminary on-scene investigations suggest that it was a high-magnitude impact against a stationary object (tree).

All northbound lanes had to be temporarily closed for traffic for the duration of the rescue operations.

The scene was handed over to CoE’s traffic officers for investigations and scene rehabilitation.

The deceased was removed from the scene by pathology services to an appropriate facility.

“The DEMS teams found a male driver trapped in his vehicle after colliding with a tree on Swartkoppies Road. Attempts to revive the man were unsuccessful, and he was declared dead on scene,” said DEMS media liaison officer, William Ntladi.

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