Three injured

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Both vehicles were totaled(Bild: TEAM FOTOKERSCHI / KERSCHBAUMMAYR)

A wild accident occurred on the B 3 near Saxen on Monday. A cab driver from Mühlviertel crashed head-on into the car of a 47-year-old woman. Both were seriously injured and trapped in their wrecked vehicles and had to be freed by firefighters. An elderly passenger (72) also suffered injuries. 

The 46-year-old cab driver from Waldhausen had been driving his car on the B3 (Donaubundesstraße) from Perg in the direction of Grein at around 1.30 pm. At the time, he was transporting a 72-year-old passenger from Linz.

On the oncoming lane
At the same time, a 47-year-old female driver from Perg was also traveling in the opposite direction. In the municipality of Saxen, the cab suddenly crossed into the oncoming lane for an unknown reason, made contact with a road maintenance vehicle and then collided head-on with the woman's car.

Rescued by the fire department
Both drivers were trapped in their severely damaged vehicles and had to be freed from their wrecks by the Grein, Saxen, Reitberg and Klam fire departments (a total of 6 vehicles and 40 firefighters) using hydraulic rescue equipment. The 72-year-old also suffered injuries.

All three were taken to hospitals - Linz University Hospital, Kepler University Hospital and Amstetten Hospital - or airlifted after initial treatment by the ambulance service and the emergency doctors present.

Both vehicles were totaled. The B 3 was impassable in the area of the accident from 1.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. - a local detour had to be set up.