Fire brigade vehicles involved in an accident

Two Bulawayo City Council (BCC) fire brigade vehicles were involved in an accident, which reportedly resulted in two firefighters being injured during a mock fire exercise at the Tower Block building on Wednesday.

BCC chief fire officer Richard Peterson yesterday confirmed the accident, but denied that two fire-fighters were injured.

However, sources told NewsDay the two sustained minor injuries and were treated at United Bulawayo Hospitals and discharged.

The accident occurred at the intersection of Robert Mugabe Way and Leopold Takawira Avenue, close to the Tower Block.

"It was a minor accident that occurred on Wednesday morning where one fire fighting vehicle smashed on the back of the other," Peterson said.

He said the two fire tenders were following each other so close that an accident resulted.

As part of the mock fire drill, fire attendants rushed to extinguish "the fire" which had broken out at the sixth floor of the building where occupants were told to swiftly vacate.

The drill exercise was meant to establish the reaction period of occupants of the building in case of a real fire outbreak.

It was observed that people in the building did not react swiftly after the fire alarm and some used lifts, which is forbidden during a real fire.

Authorities said it would have been tragic had it been a real fire.