Bus driver dies in crash

An accident on the N3 freeway south-bound in Germiston involving an articulated truck and a bus left the bus driver dead.

January 28, 2020

Zaid Khumalo 1 minute read

The driver of this passenger bus was killed instantly when the empty bus is alleged to have slammed into the back of a stationary truck. The driver of the truck escaped unharmed.

According to Ekurhuleni Emergency Medical Services (EEMS), the accident happened on the N3/N17 split on January 24 when the bus is alleged to have slammed into what was reported to have been a stationary truck at around 9.30 pm.

As per information received by EEMS at the scene, the driver of the bus was alone at the time and was on his way to pick up passengers in the Germiston city centre before proceeding to Marble Hall in Limpopo. He was declared dead by paramedics after suffering polytrauma from the crash with a truck that was loaded with a huge container.

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Apparently, the bus came from behind and the driver didn’t notice that the truck was stationary. As a result, he crashed into the rear of the truck and was killed instantly.

A rescue team from Germiston Central Fire Station was dispatched to the scene and on their arrival, they found the bus driver motionless and trapped behind the steering wheel. The team used specialised hydraulic rescue equipment, Jaws of Life, to recover him from the wreckage. The truck driver escaped unharmed.

Four lanes of the freeway were affected by the accident and had to be closed for the duration of the operation, leaving only one for traffic flow. The scene was later handed over to the EMPD, who have begun their own investigations.