News / National
Horror fire - Harare residents search for missing relatives
14 Jun 2011 at 09:44hrs | Views
Harare residents with missing relatives yesterday flocked to Harare Central Hospital in a desperate search for their loved ones they suspect could have been burnt after a fuel tanker exploded in Sunningdale at the weekend.
Three people were killed while 16 others sustained serious burns when the tanker from which they were siphoning petrol burst into flames following an accident.
Although there were three confirmed deaths as of last night, police and members of the public suspect more people could have been burnt to ashes.
Sunningdale residents insist more than 20 people were draining fuel from the tanker when it blew up. Police spokesperson Inspector James Sabau yesterday said investigations were still in progress.
"The number still stands at three deaths and our officers attended the scene and couldn't find any indication in the debris. However, we are continuing with our investigations and we still urge those who are missing their relatives - whom they think might have died in the inferno - to come forward and inform us," he said.
On the cause of the fire, Insp Sabau said:"We are still waiting for a report from the Fire Brigade and once they are through, we will let you know."
The Herald was at Harare Central Hospital yesterday during the afternoon visit hour and saw several people looking for missing relatives.
"Since yesterday, we are still trying to locate my son and we have been to Parirenyatwa Hospital and he is not there and here (Harare Central Hospital) we are being told that they don't have such a patient.
"Chances are high that he could have perished in the fire," said Mrs Thelma Runesu.
Another sobbing woman, who identified herself as Mrs Zhakata said: "We have been everywhere. He (her son) went to the scene with our neighbours with their buckets and I am still to figure out the hospital where he is admitted."
Two other people who declined to be named said they failed to locate their missing relatives among the injured. The relatives are also facing a challenge identifying their loved ones because some of them were badly burnt.
A sombre atmosphere engulfed Sunningdale yesterday afternoon as residents mourned the three who perished in the fire while others pondered over the fate of their missing relatives
Scores of residents were still thronging the scene of the fatal accident to see the remnants of the tanker.
Scrap metal dealers could be seen scouring the scene in search of scrap as residents watched.
The father of one of the victims, Mr Noble Mukunyadze, who lost his 23-year-old son Canaan, was still in a state of shock.
Mr Mukunyadze said his son might have been saved if police had swiftly responded.
"This disaster could have been prevented if the police who are only less than a kilometre away from the accident site had attended quickly.
"They did not do so and only arrived after 30 minutes later and people who took the opportunity to siphon fuel as a result were killed in the inferno," he said.
He said his son would be buried in Mhondoro tomorrow. Another victim Lawrence Goro had already been taken to his rural home in Mt Darwin.
In an interview yesterday, the owner of the fuel tanker, Mr Martin Dzvimbo, said the driver was not feeling well. "I am going to visit him tonight (yesterday) and I will get back to you tomorrow morning," said a rueful Mr Dzvimbo.
He said the driver sustained internal injuries in the accident. The driver tried to restrain the people from stealing the petrol from the accident scene, warning it would blow up anytime, but they would have none of it and even threatened him.
Mr Dzvimbo said his tanker was carrying 35 000 litres of petrol that was being delivered to service station in Norton.
Environmental Management Agency (EMA) officials urged haulage truck drivers to abide by the regulations that compel them to drive between 6 am and 6pm when visibility will be good.
EMA spokesperson, Mr Steady Kangata, warmed people not to rush and loot goods at accident scenes as some of them will be flammable, corrosive, while others cause diseases such as cancer.
The inferno also reduced a commuter omnibus and a private car to shells. The occupants of the two vehicles, however, escaped unhurt.
Three people were killed while 16 others sustained serious burns when the tanker from which they were siphoning petrol burst into flames following an accident.
Although there were three confirmed deaths as of last night, police and members of the public suspect more people could have been burnt to ashes.
Sunningdale residents insist more than 20 people were draining fuel from the tanker when it blew up. Police spokesperson Inspector James Sabau yesterday said investigations were still in progress.
"The number still stands at three deaths and our officers attended the scene and couldn't find any indication in the debris. However, we are continuing with our investigations and we still urge those who are missing their relatives - whom they think might have died in the inferno - to come forward and inform us," he said.
On the cause of the fire, Insp Sabau said:"We are still waiting for a report from the Fire Brigade and once they are through, we will let you know."
The Herald was at Harare Central Hospital yesterday during the afternoon visit hour and saw several people looking for missing relatives.
"Since yesterday, we are still trying to locate my son and we have been to Parirenyatwa Hospital and he is not there and here (Harare Central Hospital) we are being told that they don't have such a patient.
"Chances are high that he could have perished in the fire," said Mrs Thelma Runesu.
Another sobbing woman, who identified herself as Mrs Zhakata said: "We have been everywhere. He (her son) went to the scene with our neighbours with their buckets and I am still to figure out the hospital where he is admitted."
Two other people who declined to be named said they failed to locate their missing relatives among the injured. The relatives are also facing a challenge identifying their loved ones because some of them were badly burnt.
A sombre atmosphere engulfed Sunningdale yesterday afternoon as residents mourned the three who perished in the fire while others pondered over the fate of their missing relatives
Scrap metal dealers could be seen scouring the scene in search of scrap as residents watched.
The father of one of the victims, Mr Noble Mukunyadze, who lost his 23-year-old son Canaan, was still in a state of shock.
Mr Mukunyadze said his son might have been saved if police had swiftly responded.
"This disaster could have been prevented if the police who are only less than a kilometre away from the accident site had attended quickly.
"They did not do so and only arrived after 30 minutes later and people who took the opportunity to siphon fuel as a result were killed in the inferno," he said.
He said his son would be buried in Mhondoro tomorrow. Another victim Lawrence Goro had already been taken to his rural home in Mt Darwin.
In an interview yesterday, the owner of the fuel tanker, Mr Martin Dzvimbo, said the driver was not feeling well. "I am going to visit him tonight (yesterday) and I will get back to you tomorrow morning," said a rueful Mr Dzvimbo.
He said the driver sustained internal injuries in the accident. The driver tried to restrain the people from stealing the petrol from the accident scene, warning it would blow up anytime, but they would have none of it and even threatened him.
Mr Dzvimbo said his tanker was carrying 35 000 litres of petrol that was being delivered to service station in Norton.
Environmental Management Agency (EMA) officials urged haulage truck drivers to abide by the regulations that compel them to drive between 6 am and 6pm when visibility will be good.
EMA spokesperson, Mr Steady Kangata, warmed people not to rush and loot goods at accident scenes as some of them will be flammable, corrosive, while others cause diseases such as cancer.
The inferno also reduced a commuter omnibus and a private car to shells. The occupants of the two vehicles, however, escaped unhurt.
Source - Byo24News
