Adel Supra
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Above: Adel Supra
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Cliff Car Crash
On April 16th at 15:45, Platoon Commander Adel Supra of the Cape Winelands Fire Department was on her way home after a 24 hour shift, when she noticed the car behind her driving hazardously at the top of Bainskloof Pass – a notoriously dangerous piece of road in the Western Cape.
The man was speeding along the narrow lanes and sharp turns, and decided to overtake Adel. He misjudged the turn in front, however, and pushed Adel off of the road. After passing her, he decided to do the same with the next driver ahead, but saw that the turn was sharper than he had originally anticipated. He tried to brake, but started to skid when his car’s front tyre caught gravel. He eventually veered off of the road and because there were no barriers, fell forty meters down the cliff.
Adel exited her vehicle and made her way over to the site of the accident. From the top of the cliff, she found the car located in some bushes. There was no sign of life. Additionally, there was no way to get to the wreckage, as the slope was too steep. Adel decided to stay where she was since there was no way of telling if the man was indeed alive.
In the meantime, she requested an ambulance, the fire department and a high angle rescue team. After some time, Adel noticed movement in the car, as the driver fell out of the wreck and lay on the ground. Adel shouted at him to stay still as she made her way down the cliff, taking a different route to ensure her safety. Eventually, she reached the foot of the cliff, crossed a river and made her way back towards the car.
Upon arrival, the man couldn’t speak due to shock and cuts to his face. He handed Adel his driver’s license so that she could get information. She then started basic first aid and kept him awake until a vehicle arrived from the fire brigade. She then shouted to the vehicle at the top of the cliff to contact his wife and supervisor and inform them of the accident. The ambulance and high angle team then arrived and managed to stabilize the victim. In total, it took just over three hours from the start of the accident until the man was safely inside the ambulance. On her next shift, Adel tracked down the victim and found out that he had only suffered scratches, cuts and bruises – a small miracle considering the details of the crash.
For coming to the aid of a total stranger after a 24 hour shift, Adel Supra is a deserving nominee in the Centrum Guardian Project.
