A car ploughed into a queue of patients at an East London health centre on Tuesday morning, injuring 11.
Three patients were critical after the horrific incident at the Empilweni Community Healthcare Centre just after 7am.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred while residents from Gompo and Buffalo Flats were seated outside the building, waiting to be attended to by health workers.
The driver, a learner driver and employee of the health centre, lost control of the vehicle while driving up an inclined driveway.
“Everything happened so fast because we were not expecting it to happen,” an eyewitness, who did not want to be named, said.
“There was congested morning traffic, so I assume she panicked when she was given a way to quickly drive in.”
Provincial community policing forum secretary Ludumo Salman confirmed the incident happened as the driver was arriving at her workplace when she lost control of her vehicle and veered into people and the building.
Provincial health department spokesperson Mkhululi Ndamase said two of the seriously injured patients had been transferred to Frere Hospital for a higher level of care, while one was still being treated at Empilweni.
The others had been treated and discharged.
“We wish all the injured patients a speedy recovery," Ndamase said.
The police have been notified and the accident is under investigation.
Police spokesperson Captain Hazel Mqala said a case of reckless and negligent driving had been opened for investigation.
DispatchLIVE
Eleven patients injured as car crashes at Empilweni health centre
Image: SUPPLIED
A car ploughed into a queue of patients at an East London health centre on Tuesday morning, injuring 11.
Three patients were critical after the horrific incident at the Empilweni Community Healthcare Centre just after 7am.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred while residents from Gompo and Buffalo Flats were seated outside the building, waiting to be attended to by health workers.
The driver, a learner driver and employee of the health centre, lost control of the vehicle while driving up an inclined driveway.
“Everything happened so fast because we were not expecting it to happen,” an eyewitness, who did not want to be named, said.
“There was congested morning traffic, so I assume she panicked when she was given a way to quickly drive in.”
Provincial community policing forum secretary Ludumo Salman confirmed the incident happened as the driver was arriving at her workplace when she lost control of her vehicle and veered into people and the building.
Provincial health department spokesperson Mkhululi Ndamase said two of the seriously injured patients had been transferred to Frere Hospital for a higher level of care, while one was still being treated at Empilweni.
The others had been treated and discharged.
“We wish all the injured patients a speedy recovery," Ndamase said.
The police have been notified and the accident is under investigation.
Police spokesperson Captain Hazel Mqala said a case of reckless and negligent driving had been opened for investigation.
DispatchLIVE
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