News / Regional
Botswana bound Zupco bus overturns, injures seven
11 Jan 2015 at 09:29hrs | Views
FIFTY passengers escaped death while seven sustained injuries when a Zupco bus they were travelling in overturned along the Bulawayo-Francistown highway recently.
The accident occurred on Tuesday last week at around 5am when the bus was heading to Francistown from Harare.
Some passengers in the bus said they suspected that the driver fell asleep while others failed to narrate what had transpired as they were also asleep.
They said the driver lost control of the vehicle and encroached into the lane of oncoming traffic.
The passengers said the bus first crashed into a small vehicle which was parked by the side of the opposite lane and bulldozed through bridge rails before landing on its side.
The driver of the small car who was asleep in his vehicle after it had broken down, woke up to a loud rumble only to see the bus approaching him.
He escaped with severe injuries and was taken to Plumtree Hospital where he was later referred to the United Bulawayo Hospitals.
Six other passengers who were injured were admitted to Plumtree District Hospital. Some of them further requested to be transferred to hospitals in their home towns.
"I was wide awake when it all happened although most people had fallen asleep. I think the driver dozed off because all of a sudden he veered off his lane and headed for a single cab Ford Ranger which was parked by the side of the road.
"I think the reason why we escaped death was because the bus was travelling at a low speed probably because of exhaustion," said Mr Victor Zinyemba.
Ms Tarisayi Shumba, another passenger, said: "I was asleep and when I woke up the bus was heading off the road and the next moment the bus was lying on its side."
Ms Shumba said a number of people were asleep which helped reduce commotion and stampeding.
Another passenger who was at Plumtree District Hospital, Ms Sinikweyinkosi Ndebele, said she sustained injuries as her body banged against the walls of the bus at the time it overturned.
Ms Ndebele said soon after the accident a number of passengers started sifting through the debris of goods that included groceries to salvage what ever they could.
She said some people from surrounding villages were also scavenging for food and other items which were scattered all over the scene.
The accident occurred on Tuesday last week at around 5am when the bus was heading to Francistown from Harare.
Some passengers in the bus said they suspected that the driver fell asleep while others failed to narrate what had transpired as they were also asleep.
They said the driver lost control of the vehicle and encroached into the lane of oncoming traffic.
The passengers said the bus first crashed into a small vehicle which was parked by the side of the opposite lane and bulldozed through bridge rails before landing on its side.
The driver of the small car who was asleep in his vehicle after it had broken down, woke up to a loud rumble only to see the bus approaching him.
He escaped with severe injuries and was taken to Plumtree Hospital where he was later referred to the United Bulawayo Hospitals.
Six other passengers who were injured were admitted to Plumtree District Hospital. Some of them further requested to be transferred to hospitals in their home towns.
"I was wide awake when it all happened although most people had fallen asleep. I think the driver dozed off because all of a sudden he veered off his lane and headed for a single cab Ford Ranger which was parked by the side of the road.
"I think the reason why we escaped death was because the bus was travelling at a low speed probably because of exhaustion," said Mr Victor Zinyemba.
Ms Tarisayi Shumba, another passenger, said: "I was asleep and when I woke up the bus was heading off the road and the next moment the bus was lying on its side."
Ms Shumba said a number of people were asleep which helped reduce commotion and stampeding.
Another passenger who was at Plumtree District Hospital, Ms Sinikweyinkosi Ndebele, said she sustained injuries as her body banged against the walls of the bus at the time it overturned.
Ms Ndebele said soon after the accident a number of passengers started sifting through the debris of goods that included groceries to salvage what ever they could.
She said some people from surrounding villages were also scavenging for food and other items which were scattered all over the scene.
Source - Sunday News
