Bus accident in South Africa kills 8, injures dozens more

[News_Editor]

Bus accident in South Africa kills 8, injures dozens more

2011-03-18 13:19:20 GMT+7 (ICT)

JOHANNESBURG (BNO NEWS) -- At least eight people were killed on early Friday morning when the bus they were on overturned near the city of Johannesburg in South Africa, emergency officials said. Scores of others were injured.

Netcare 911 spokesman Jeffrey Wicks said the passenger bus overturned and rolled after leaving a district road that runs near the R501 in Doornfontein, not far from Johannesburg. Few details were immediately available.

"Netcare911 Paramedics arrived at the scene to find that the bus had veered from the road and overturned, rolling into the roadside veld," Wicks said. "The rollover sheared the roof of the vehicle away and the passengers were flung from the spinning vehicle."

The spokesman said a total of eight people were killed while 27 others were injured, including six who were critically wounded. "The injured and the dead were found by medics scattered about the wreckage which had eventually ground to a halt nearly 50 meters (54 yard) from the road," he added.

Wicks said the injured were treated and stabilized at the scene before they were transported to several area hospitals. "The cause of the accident remains unclear and will form the subject of a South African Police Force investigation," he said.

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