Accident between two trucks and van with patients from the interior leaves injuries on BR-232, in Recife

An accident between two trucks and a van with Out-of-Home Treatment (TFD) patients left at least eight people injured on BR-232 (see video above). The collision happened around 5am this Tuesday (3), at kilometer 7 of the federal highway, in the Curado neighborhood, in the West Zone of Recife. Traffic became intense, as one of the lanes of the road was blocked towards Recife.

According to the Federal Highway Police (PRF), the suspicion is that the tire of one of the trucks burst, and he had to stop on the highway because there is no shoulder on the stretch. A second truck, which was carrying fruit, saw the vehicle stopped with its hazard lights on and tried to avoid it but, during the maneuver, it hit a van transporting patients from the municipality of São Bento do Una, in Agreste de Pernambuco.

The van overturned, scattering shards of glass from the windshield across the road, on the stretch in front of the Recife Botanical Garden. All of the injured were inside the city hall vehicle, according to the PRF, which did not release their names. Among the victims are children aged 3 and 4 and women aged between 24 and 73, according to the Mobile Emergency Care Service (Samu).

The three drivers involved in the accident took a breathalyzer test, and the result did not indicate alcohol consumption. The Fire Department sent three vehicles to the scene of the accident to provide assistance to the injured, together with the Samu teams.

"There were several victims, mainly elderly people and children. All the procedures provided by the corporation and pre-hospital care were carried out, and we sent the victims to hospital units alive", said Lieutenant Luiz, from the Fire Department, to TV Globo.

In a statement, the city of São Bento do Una, through the Municipal Health Department, reported that the injured were taken to three health units in Recife:

Barão de Lucena Hospital, in the Iputinga neighborhood, in the West Zone;

Hospital Getúlio Vargas, in Cordeiro, also in the West Zone;

Hospital da Restauração, in the Derby neighborhood, in the central area.

As the names of the injured were not disclosed, it was not possible to obtain information about the patients' health status.

Also according to the municipal management of São Bento do Una:

there were 20 people in the van;

the accident did not cause any deaths;

the van driver provided clarifications to the PRF.