A vehicle transporting 25 kids suffered a tyre burst, forcing the driver to lose control before the packed vehicle rolled.
|||Cape Town - A vehicle transporting 25 schoolchildren rolled along a busy Cape Town road.
By late on Monday night, one child was in serious condition and being treated in hospital.
The incident happened along Bottelary Road near Kraaifontein on Monday afternoon.
The children were being transported home from St Vincent Primary School in Stellenbosch when the tragedy struck.
It is believed the Hyundai light delivery vehicle they were travelling in suffered a double tyre burst, forcing the driver to lose control before the packed vehicle rolled and came to a stand still on a field alongside the road.
When the Daily Voice arrived at the scene, several children were still being treated by paramedics for minor injuries.
Robert Daniels, communications officer for the provincial health department’s Emergency Medical Services, said that the incident occurred at about 3.30pm.
“At 3.30pm this (Monday) afternoon on Bottelary Road, the driver of a bakkie carrying 25 primary schoolchildren lost control of the vehicle as it rolled, injuring 10 children as well as the driver,” said Daniels.
“One child who was seriously injured was rushed to Tygerberg Hospital while the rest were taken to Kraaifontein Community Health Centre.”
At the scene, 49-year-old Christopher Stevens, who lives nearby, said he watched in horror as the vehicle rolled.
“I saw it all happen. I first heard two bangs, like gunfire, then I just saw dust,” Christopher said.
“The children flew through the windows like rags.
“I ran to the scene and the driver was still trapped behind the steering wheel.
“The bigger schoolkids helped me get the driver out from behind the wheel.”
Christopher added: “He [driver] had a head wound and it was bleeding a lot,” he explained.
“The small children were crying terribly. It is just fortunate no one died.”
Daily Voice