THE number of children who have died in a horrific accident at a school in Potchefstroom, North West, has increased.
The accident, that happened at Vyfhoek Primary School on Thursday, 18 August, had initially claimed five lives.
In a statement released on Friday, NW MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management Sello Lehari said two more children have died. This brought the total number of deaths to seven.
Lehari added that four more children were still admitted to the hospital.
“It is alleged that the truck driver lost control, drove towards the pupils as they were standing by the school gate and hit them,” he said.
ER24 spokesman Russel Meiring said medics and other emergency services responded to the scene in the afternoon along the N12, about 10km outside of Potchefstroom.
He said the truck crashed through a school fence and stopped in the parking area.
“Medics found three children lying under the truck and several others around. All children were believed to be aged between seven and 11,” Meiring said in a statement.
He added that four were declared dead.
Meiring said three others were in critical condition and two severely injured.
“Unfortunately after a short time, one critically injured child succumbed to injuries,” he added.
The driver of the truck escaped with no injury.
