Five people tragically lost their lives in a horrific crash in the Free State on a Sunday morning.
The collision occurred at the intersection of the N6 national road and R702 road just after midnight. It involved a Greyhound luxury coach and a white Volkswagen Polo.
Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane confirmed that three men and two women had died in the accident.
According to Covane, the initial report suggests that the bus, travelling southwards toward Reddersburg, collided with the Polo, which was heading west and allegedly failed to obey a stop sign, crossing into the path of the oncoming bus.
The Volkswagen Polo had been traveling in the western direction.
Following the impact, the Polo, with its five occupants, rolled over.
A passenger from the Greyhound bus shared that they managed to remove all five passengers from the VW Polo as it was catching fire. This unnamed passenger mentioned that a passing Good Samaritan provided them with a fire extinguisher to extinguish the flames before they could escalate.
“Paramedics arrived about an hour and a half later, only to find all the VW Polo occupants deceased,” the witness recounted to SA Trucker.
The witness also noted the presence of alcohol in the car, suggesting that the occupants may have been drinking.
Read | Bus and truck head-on crash leaves 5 dead and 43 injured in Free State
Emergency personnel responded to the scene, where all five occupants of the Volkswagen Polo were declared deceased.
Authorities have initiated a culpable homicide case in response to the accident.
The victims of the crash are believed to be of a young age.
Covane commented, “The identities of the deceased remain unknown at this point. Police investigations are ongoing, and it’s worth noting that the Polo in question is still registered as ‘We Buy Cars’ property.”
Law enforcement agencies are appealing to anyone with information that may aid in identifying the victims to come forward and assist with the ongoing investigation.
