9 killed and several injured in N1 bus rollover near Laingsburg

At least nine people were killed and more than ten were left in a critical condition after a bus overturned on the N1 approximately 10 kilometres outside of Touwsriver near Laingsburg, Western Cape.

At approximately 2am this morning, paramedics from various services arrived on scene where they found the bus lying on its side, partially into a veld next to the road. The trailer of the bus was still lying in the middle of the road.

Paramedics described the scene as chaotic as they found several people scattered across the roads’ surface. It is understood that several people were ejected from the bus as it overturned.

Upon further assessment, paramedics found that 31 patients were already removed to nearby facilities by local emergency services. At least 20 others were still found on the scene with various injuries. Some of the people were trapped inside of the overturned bus. Paramedics and fire fighters were extricating critically injured patients from the bus well after 5am this morning. Some of them were severely trapped and special rescue equipment had to be used to free them.

Several children were also involved in the collision. At this stage it is not known if they are amongst the fatally injured.

The exact cause of the incident is not yet known. Local authorities attended the scene to conduct an investigation.

The injured were transported by Metro Emergency Services, ER24 and other local services to various hospitals in the area.

Source: ArriveAlive