UPDATE: Minibus fire on R34 leaves one dead and 15 injured, including a baby
The baby suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to Vryheid hospital with 11 other occupants of the taxi.
A woman died and 15 people, including a 15-month-old baby, were injured when their minibus was caught in a wildfire near Vryheid on Tuesday, August 22.
The woman apparently sustained fatal injuries while trying to get out of the burning minibus in the Stillwater area.
Three people sustained up to 100 per cent burn wounds and were taken to various hospitals. The minibus was burnt out.
The baby suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to Vryheid hospital with 11 other occupants of the taxi.
Sister publication Vryheid Herald reported that wind speeds up to 58 kilometres an hour were recorded in the area on Tuesday afternoon.
It is reported 600 children from a local agriculture school had to be evacuated, but the school’s property was not damaged. Two farmworkers were believed to have been injured while fighting the blaze.
Working on Fire (WoF) and AbaQulusi municipality firefighters were sent to help combat the blaze.
In a separate incident on Tuesday afternoon, four people died and four were seriously injured when a minibus and a bus collided on Steildrift Road, near the KwaMdakane area, Ntendeka bridge.
KwaZulu-Natal emergency medical services spokesperson Robert Mckenzie said the cause of the accident was not known.
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