Horse-drawn carriage collides with van, four hurt

PALMA
FOUR people were injured after a horse-drawn carriage ploughed into the back of a van in Calle Manacor in Palma early yesterday morning. The horse also sustained serious injuries.

The accident happened around 8am close to the junction with Calle Manuel Azaña. A van braked hard and the horse-drawn carriage and its driver following behind were unable to avoid collision.

The horse fell to the ground, bleeding, and meanwhile, two other vehicles which tried to brake fiercely to avoid the site of the accident crashed into the van and carriage.

Rush-hour traffic tailbacks built up whilst Local Police acted quickly to bring help to the injured and restore the flow of vehicles.
Ambulances rushed to the scene and the services of a local veterinary surgeon were called upon to attend the horse. The vet attended the animal's immediate injuries and it was finally helped into a Mounted Police transport vehicle and taken away for further treatment.

The driver of the carriage needed a neck-brace fitted before he was taken away to hospital.