News / Local
Car accident claims three women on their way to a funeral
28 May 2012 at 05:39hrs | Views
Three women going for a funeral died yesterday when the car they were travelling in was involved in an accident near Nkulumane shopping mall.
The three who were the only passengers in the Nissan Sunny car died on the spot in the accident with a South African registered Nissan Navara truck.
Officer commanding Bulawayo Traffic Superintended Henry Mhlanga confirmed the accident which occurred at 7.15 am.
He said traffic lights at the intersection of Khami Road and Masiyephambili Drive were not working at the time of the accident and one of the vehicles must have failed to give way.
He said the Navara had two people who escaped unhurt.
Supt Mhlanga said the bodies of the women were taken to the mortuary at United Bulawayo Hospitals.
"Investigations into the cause of the accident are still underway," he said.
Supt Mhlanga urged drivers to exercise caution at intersections where traffic lights were not working.
Relatives at the scene said the women, all members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, were going for a funeral service.
Witnesses spoken to by Chronicle said the Nissan Sunny was travelling towards Pumula South from the city when it was allegedly hit by the Navara travelling northwards.
A witness only identified as Mr Ndlovu said the traffic lights at the intersection were out of order and one of the vehicles did not stop to give way.
"The Nissan Sunny was first to enter the intersection and the driver of the Navara failed to apply brakes resulting in the two cars colliding and flying into the air landing some 20 metres from the spot," said Mr Ndlovu.
He said this resulted in the Navara being stopped by a traffic light pole before it landed on its side while it hung from the pole.
"The collision resulted in one person being thrown out of the car while in the air and the other two were crushed when the car rolled two times," he said.
Emergency rescue workers from the Bulawayo Fire Brigade were called to remove two bodies still trapped inside the car.
The three who were the only passengers in the Nissan Sunny car died on the spot in the accident with a South African registered Nissan Navara truck.
Officer commanding Bulawayo Traffic Superintended Henry Mhlanga confirmed the accident which occurred at 7.15 am.
He said traffic lights at the intersection of Khami Road and Masiyephambili Drive were not working at the time of the accident and one of the vehicles must have failed to give way.
He said the Navara had two people who escaped unhurt.
Supt Mhlanga said the bodies of the women were taken to the mortuary at United Bulawayo Hospitals.
"Investigations into the cause of the accident are still underway," he said.
Supt Mhlanga urged drivers to exercise caution at intersections where traffic lights were not working.
Relatives at the scene said the women, all members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, were going for a funeral service.
Witnesses spoken to by Chronicle said the Nissan Sunny was travelling towards Pumula South from the city when it was allegedly hit by the Navara travelling northwards.
A witness only identified as Mr Ndlovu said the traffic lights at the intersection were out of order and one of the vehicles did not stop to give way.
"The Nissan Sunny was first to enter the intersection and the driver of the Navara failed to apply brakes resulting in the two cars colliding and flying into the air landing some 20 metres from the spot," said Mr Ndlovu.
He said this resulted in the Navara being stopped by a traffic light pole before it landed on its side while it hung from the pole.
"The collision resulted in one person being thrown out of the car while in the air and the other two were crushed when the car rolled two times," he said.
Emergency rescue workers from the Bulawayo Fire Brigade were called to remove two bodies still trapped inside the car.
Source - Chronicle
