News / Regional
Zebulon bus accident, 12 dead
21 Feb 2013 at 04:35hrs | Views
TWELVE people were killed, 10 of them on the spot, when the Zebulon bus they were travelling in failed to stop at a road construction controlled sign and sideswiped a Group Five International Company truck, police have said.
The accident happened yesterday at around 12.45pm at the 55,5km peg along the Gweru-Shangani road, just before Shangani River.
Acting police spokesperson for Midlands, Assistant Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko said the accident left 54 passengers injured, 13 of them critically.
He said the police were withholding the names of the deceased until their next of kin have been notified.
Asst Insp Mahoko said the Zebulon bus had 56 passengers on board and was coming from the Gweru direction while the Group Five truck was coming from the Bulawayo direction.
"We can confirm that 12 people died, 10 on the spot, while the other two died upon admission to Gweru Provincial Hospital. All the deceased were from the Zebulon bus.
"Five passengers fell on the tarmac and died on the point of impact while the other five were found dead when the bus finally stopped after travelling for about 1,8km.
"A further 48 passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries and were taken to Gweru Hospital where two died upon admission. Twenty are still admitted and 10 of them are said to be critical.
"Twenty-six were treated and discharged. Eight more people, including the bus driver, were taken to Shangani Hospital. Five were treated and discharged while three of them, including the bus driver were transferred to United Bulawayo Hospitals," he said.
The condition of the three, who were transferred to UBH, could not be ascertained at the time of going to Press.
Asst Insp Mahoko said police preliminary investigations showed that the accident could have been a result of speeding, inattention and misjudgment.
He said the driver of the Bulawayo-bound Zebulon bus, it appeared, was speeding, as he approached the stretch under construction.
"Traffic passing through the stretch was being controlled by the workers of Group Five International Company. The construction company had installed two traffic controllers at the site. At that time, they were stopping traffic coming from the Gweru direction.
"About 500m further, there was another team controlling traffic from the Bulawayo direction and traffic from that side was allowed to pass. One lane was closed, as it was under construction while the other was open to passing traffic," he said.
Asst Insp Mahoko said at the stopping point for traffic coming from the Gweru direction, there was a heavy truck with two trailers that had been stopped.
He said the bus came from behind the haulage truck, approaching from the Gweru direction.
"The bus did not stop at the stopping point. It went on to overtake the stationary haulage truck moving facing traffic coming from the Bulawayo direction, which was flowing. In the process, the bus side-swiped a Group Five International Company seven tonne-truck, which sliced through the centre of the bus side, killing 10 people on the spot. The bus travelled for a further 1,8km before stopping on its wheels in the middle of the road, while the Group Five truck overturned just after the impact," said Asst Insp Mahoko.
The acting police spokesperson appealed to motorists to always adhere to road traffic regulations, including other State authorised traffic controls.
"All these regulations on the roads are implemented for the safety of the travelling public. Always use safe speeds in given circumstances," he said.
Meanwhile, employees of the Group Five International Company, who witnessed the horrific accident, claimed that the bus was speeding and it ignored the speed limit signs.
They said most motorists, who pass through stretches where they would be working, had no respect for them.
"Some motorists often ignore our signs and at times we have cases of drivers, who overtake using the lane under construction. The only solution is for the Government to provide us with uniformed police officers to help us control traffic.
"Without the police, we are likely to witness more accidents like the one we witnessed today," said one of the employees, who preferred not to be named.
The accident happened yesterday at around 12.45pm at the 55,5km peg along the Gweru-Shangani road, just before Shangani River.
Acting police spokesperson for Midlands, Assistant Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko said the accident left 54 passengers injured, 13 of them critically.
He said the police were withholding the names of the deceased until their next of kin have been notified.
Asst Insp Mahoko said the Zebulon bus had 56 passengers on board and was coming from the Gweru direction while the Group Five truck was coming from the Bulawayo direction.
"We can confirm that 12 people died, 10 on the spot, while the other two died upon admission to Gweru Provincial Hospital. All the deceased were from the Zebulon bus.
"Five passengers fell on the tarmac and died on the point of impact while the other five were found dead when the bus finally stopped after travelling for about 1,8km.
"A further 48 passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries and were taken to Gweru Hospital where two died upon admission. Twenty are still admitted and 10 of them are said to be critical.
"Twenty-six were treated and discharged. Eight more people, including the bus driver, were taken to Shangani Hospital. Five were treated and discharged while three of them, including the bus driver were transferred to United Bulawayo Hospitals," he said.
The condition of the three, who were transferred to UBH, could not be ascertained at the time of going to Press.
Asst Insp Mahoko said police preliminary investigations showed that the accident could have been a result of speeding, inattention and misjudgment.
"Traffic passing through the stretch was being controlled by the workers of Group Five International Company. The construction company had installed two traffic controllers at the site. At that time, they were stopping traffic coming from the Gweru direction.
"About 500m further, there was another team controlling traffic from the Bulawayo direction and traffic from that side was allowed to pass. One lane was closed, as it was under construction while the other was open to passing traffic," he said.
Asst Insp Mahoko said at the stopping point for traffic coming from the Gweru direction, there was a heavy truck with two trailers that had been stopped.
He said the bus came from behind the haulage truck, approaching from the Gweru direction.
"The bus did not stop at the stopping point. It went on to overtake the stationary haulage truck moving facing traffic coming from the Bulawayo direction, which was flowing. In the process, the bus side-swiped a Group Five International Company seven tonne-truck, which sliced through the centre of the bus side, killing 10 people on the spot. The bus travelled for a further 1,8km before stopping on its wheels in the middle of the road, while the Group Five truck overturned just after the impact," said Asst Insp Mahoko.
The acting police spokesperson appealed to motorists to always adhere to road traffic regulations, including other State authorised traffic controls.
"All these regulations on the roads are implemented for the safety of the travelling public. Always use safe speeds in given circumstances," he said.
Meanwhile, employees of the Group Five International Company, who witnessed the horrific accident, claimed that the bus was speeding and it ignored the speed limit signs.
They said most motorists, who pass through stretches where they would be working, had no respect for them.
"Some motorists often ignore our signs and at times we have cases of drivers, who overtake using the lane under construction. The only solution is for the Government to provide us with uniformed police officers to help us control traffic.
"Without the police, we are likely to witness more accidents like the one we witnessed today," said one of the employees, who preferred not to be named.
Source - TC
