Investigation into ‘death trap’ intersection at Bethania

Two Logan men are dead and witnesses are seeking counselling after a graphic crash involving four cars at a notorious intersection on the weekend. Here’s how the tragedy unfolded.

Police were directing traffic at the intersection as ambulance officers tended to the injured.

TWO Logan men are dead and witnesses are seeking counselling after a graphic crash involving four cars on the weekend.

HYPERDOME OVERHAUL SPARKS RETAIL RIVALS

TWO DIE IN BETHANIA CRASH

Witnesses told of watching in horror as a car completely flipped on to its roof in the double-fatal pileup.

Residents blamed the inadequate speed limits, road works and poor signage for the deaths at the now notorious intersection on Sunday afternoon.

However, others took to Facebook to say the road was not to blame, it came down to driver error.

Late Monday, no charges had been laid and the Police Forensic Crash Unit was continuing investigations, taking statements from witnesses and viewing dashcam footage.

Transport and Main Roads were also assisting and will undertake their own investigation into the tragedy which occurred on a state-controlled road.

Witnesses were seeking counselling on Monday after being confronted with the graphic images unfolding when four cars were involved in the pileup at Fletcher Rd and Logan River Rd on Sunday afternoon.

Police guide traffic at the intersection on Sunday.

A 37-year-old man from Meadowbrook, who was driving a blue 2002 Holden Astra, died at the scene after his car flipped and ended on its roof.

A 54-year-old Waterford West man, who was driving a white 2015 Ford Falcon, also died at the scene.

Logan resident Lorraine Frew reported witnesses seeing one of the vehicles on nearby Gardiner Rd driving erratically and crossing double white lines and a red light moments before the crash.

Others said they saw a car turning left into Logan River Rd and heading down the hill towards the intersection where reports were that a car ran through a red light crashing into two cars before flipping on to his roof.

Amy Jasper said her partner was shaken over the incident after helping to pull one of the men out of one of the cars.

“It didn’t look good,” she said. “My partner is pretty upset — it was not a nice scene.

“But I believe they handled the situation perfectly – even though there were so many people hanging around making it harder for police.

“Condolences to the families.”

PAY $5 AND READ EVERY STORY IN JUNE

CHECK OUT OUR SPECIAL WINE OFFERS

GET YOUR FREE LOGAN HEADLINES SENT TO YOUR INBOX

Logan Village mum Andrea Barnard drove through the intersection minutes after the tragedy.

“I don’t really know what happened. I just witnessed as I drove through to take my mum home. But I saw a larger man on the ground getting CPR,” she said.

Logan woman Grace Doughty was also one of the first to start CPR at the scene along with another mum Louise Corran, who called triple-0.

Logan resident Shane Anderson said earth works for a nearby development had led to a lane being closed off at the intersection.

“Since one lane has closed, it’s been a death trap with so many near misses and collisions,” he said.

“It’s now a killer intersection.”

Locals have also questioned the speed limit.

The scene on Sunday.

Bethania Community Group president Les Hoppe said the speed changed from 80km/h to 60km/h just near the intersection going down a hill.

“It’s difficult for people to slow down as they get near those road works,” Mr Hoppe said.

“There needs to be better signs as you come down the hill from Gardiner Rd at Holmview.”

A $328,000 project to improve safety at the intersection, on the other side of Logan River Rd at Castile Crescent, is almost completed with high-friction surfacing to stop skidding due to be added this month.

Intersection warning signs and flashing lights with 140 metres of eastbound pavement resurfacing was completed in May.