News / National
Kombi accident kills 8
26 Jun 2017 at 11:56hrs | Views
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Eight people died when a Harare-bound commuter omnibus from Sadza Growth Point hit a stationery haulage truck at the 41km peg along the Harare-Wedza road near Dema Police Station this morning.
Six people died on the spot while two died on arrival at Dema Hospital.
The commuter omnibus vehicle which appears to have been speeding hit the haulage truck which was parked in the middle of the road from the back moving the stationery vehicle for 10 metres upon impact.
ZRP Traffic Coordinator for Mashonaland East Province Superintendent Richard Gatsi confirmed the accident saying a 30-tonne haulage truck broke down around midnight and was parked on the road close to Dema Police Station.
"Around 05:50, a kombi travelling from Hwedza to Harare carrying 11 passengers rammed into the haulage truck trailer, killing 6 people on the spot. The injured passengers were taken to Kunaka Hospital here in Dema where two died on admission. The other three were transferred to Chitungwiza Hospital. The deceased will be taken to Marondera Hospital mortuary," Supt Gatsi said.
Mashonaland East ZRP acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed the accident and appealed to the motoring public not to speed as that may lead to accidents.
He urged drivers of broken down vehicles to move them out of the road and place reflective triangles at designated distances as a warning to other road users, adding investigations to establish the cause of the accident are in progress.
The commuter omnibus was reduced to a wreckage while goods belonging to the accident victims was strewn all over the place.
Villagers who stay close to the scene of the accident said they heard a loud noise early in the morning and went to investigate and discovered that there had been an accident.
Mr Osbert Kurebgwaseka of Chakawata Village and Robert Murove who were the first to arrive at the scene said they helped to retrieve the trapped bodies and the injured from the wreckage.
The bodies of the deceased have been taken to Marondera provincial hospital mortuary.
Six people died on the spot while two died on arrival at Dema Hospital.
The commuter omnibus vehicle which appears to have been speeding hit the haulage truck which was parked in the middle of the road from the back moving the stationery vehicle for 10 metres upon impact.
ZRP Traffic Coordinator for Mashonaland East Province Superintendent Richard Gatsi confirmed the accident saying a 30-tonne haulage truck broke down around midnight and was parked on the road close to Dema Police Station.
"Around 05:50, a kombi travelling from Hwedza to Harare carrying 11 passengers rammed into the haulage truck trailer, killing 6 people on the spot. The injured passengers were taken to Kunaka Hospital here in Dema where two died on admission. The other three were transferred to Chitungwiza Hospital. The deceased will be taken to Marondera Hospital mortuary," Supt Gatsi said.
Mashonaland East ZRP acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed the accident and appealed to the motoring public not to speed as that may lead to accidents.
He urged drivers of broken down vehicles to move them out of the road and place reflective triangles at designated distances as a warning to other road users, adding investigations to establish the cause of the accident are in progress.
The commuter omnibus was reduced to a wreckage while goods belonging to the accident victims was strewn all over the place.
Villagers who stay close to the scene of the accident said they heard a loud noise early in the morning and went to investigate and discovered that there had been an accident.
Mr Osbert Kurebgwaseka of Chakawata Village and Robert Murove who were the first to arrive at the scene said they helped to retrieve the trapped bodies and the injured from the wreckage.
The bodies of the deceased have been taken to Marondera provincial hospital mortuary.
Source - zbc
