Passers-by loot accident scene
It later got out of control and Broekman had to use his fire engine’s hose to disperse the crowd.
LYDENBURG – Looters had to be dispersed using a fire hose after an accident at the Checkers circle opposite the Heads Centre on Tuesday.
Local trout farmer Cornell du Plessis (44) and his worker were lucky to escape the near-fatal incident alive. Du Plessis took one of his workers, David Rampela to see a doctor in town after he had sustained a minor burn on his farm outside town.
Bystanders witnessed a fully loaded CocaCola truck crash into Du Plessis’ bakkie. It was later established that the brakes of the truck had failed. The truck lost its load when both trailers overturned. The bakkie ended up several metres from the circle in the nearby veld.
Immediately after the accident passers-by crowded around the scene despite the fact that medical personnel were trying to assist the injured occupants of the vehicles. Deon Broekman of Rapid Response said looters started carrying off bottles and cans of cold drinks.
“Despite the fact that we (rescue personnel) were trying to keep the crowd from interfering with the accident scene and the treatment of the patients, they ignored all warnings and continued looting the scattered freight.”
It later got out of control and Broekman had to use his fire engine’s hose to disperse the crowd. Broekman later said that he will withdraw from the recovery operation as Coca-Cola has indicated that it will send a team to clean up the spill and remove the vehicle.
Du Plessis and Rampela were both taken to Mediclinic Nelspruit for a thorough check-up. The driver of the truck escaped from the crash unharmed.
