News / National
Road accident kills 3, injures 42
25 Jun 2011 at 18:58hrs | Views
A bus travelling along the Bulawayo-Gweru Road side-swiped with a haulage truck killing three people on the spot and injuring 42 others.
The bus, belonging to Revival Bus Service had 52 passengers on board when it collided with a Havson haulage truck a few minutes after midnight, Wednesday. The bus was on its way to Francistown in Botswana, from Harare, while the truck, whose driver escaped unhurt, was coming from Plumtree and headed for the capital.
Midlands police traffic co-ordinator Superintendent Leslie Maninge said: "The haulage truck hit the rear wheel of the bus resulting in the bus driver losing control and veering off the road, before overturning. Three people died on the spot while the 42 injured passengers were taken to Gweru Provincial Hospital where they are receiving treatment."
Supt Maninge could not release the names of the dead saying their next of kin were yet to be informed. Officials at Gweru Provincial Hospital said four passengers were in critical condition while the others were stable.
In an interview at the scene of accident, the bus driver, Mr Mbuso Mabhena, said the truck driver, who was driving in the opposite direction, encroached onto his lane, resulting in the side-swipe.
Mr Clifford Chikwengo (33), the haulage truck driver, however, blamed the bus driver for the accident. "The bus was trying to overtake another vehicle. I had just passed a curve and the bus' bright headlights blinded me.
"I could not use the emergency brake because it would have caused my vehicle to overturn. When the bus driver saw me, he tried to swerve back into his lane to avoid a head-on collision. The sides of our vehicles collided as I veered away from him," said the visibly shaken Mr Chikwengo.
Villagers from the nearby Dawson Farm, who had gathered at the scene, said they heard the noise of the crash, adding that it was a miracle that people had come out of the bus alive.
"It was very loud. I think the tyres were bursting. Soon afterwards, I heard people praying. I did not go out and investigate, as I thought it was a group of apostolic faith church members," said Mr Owen Moyo (33).
All the villagers said they went to the scene in the morning, after the police had collected the injured and the dead. "No one will admit that they came here earlier, because some of them looted groceries and cellphones that were scattered on the road," said one of the villagers.
The bus, belonging to Revival Bus Service had 52 passengers on board when it collided with a Havson haulage truck a few minutes after midnight, Wednesday. The bus was on its way to Francistown in Botswana, from Harare, while the truck, whose driver escaped unhurt, was coming from Plumtree and headed for the capital.
Midlands police traffic co-ordinator Superintendent Leslie Maninge said: "The haulage truck hit the rear wheel of the bus resulting in the bus driver losing control and veering off the road, before overturning. Three people died on the spot while the 42 injured passengers were taken to Gweru Provincial Hospital where they are receiving treatment."
Supt Maninge could not release the names of the dead saying their next of kin were yet to be informed. Officials at Gweru Provincial Hospital said four passengers were in critical condition while the others were stable.
In an interview at the scene of accident, the bus driver, Mr Mbuso Mabhena, said the truck driver, who was driving in the opposite direction, encroached onto his lane, resulting in the side-swipe.
Mr Clifford Chikwengo (33), the haulage truck driver, however, blamed the bus driver for the accident. "The bus was trying to overtake another vehicle. I had just passed a curve and the bus' bright headlights blinded me.
"I could not use the emergency brake because it would have caused my vehicle to overturn. When the bus driver saw me, he tried to swerve back into his lane to avoid a head-on collision. The sides of our vehicles collided as I veered away from him," said the visibly shaken Mr Chikwengo.
Villagers from the nearby Dawson Farm, who had gathered at the scene, said they heard the noise of the crash, adding that it was a miracle that people had come out of the bus alive.
"It was very loud. I think the tyres were bursting. Soon afterwards, I heard people praying. I did not go out and investigate, as I thought it was a group of apostolic faith church members," said Mr Owen Moyo (33).
All the villagers said they went to the scene in the morning, after the police had collected the injured and the dead. "No one will admit that they came here earlier, because some of them looted groceries and cellphones that were scattered on the road," said one of the villagers.
Source - Byo24News
