Man nearly crushed to death by train

A drunk ODZI man, who slept on the Harare-Mutare railway line recently believing he had arrived home, is lucky to be alive after a goods train crushed his legs.

Manicaland Police spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa confirmed the incident.

According to the police, Dambudzo Nyamusoro (35) of Odzi township was on his way home from Odzi business centre after a beer drink. On his way home, he believed he had arrived and sat on the railway line while listening to some music with earphones plucked in his ears. He then fell asleep.

Both his legs were injured, with the left one coming off worse, which saw it being amputated in the end.

"He said he was very drunk when the incident happened. He said he thought he had reached home and decided to sleep on the railway road.  He is seriously injured and has a traumatic amputation and a broken leg," a staff member at Mutare Provincial Hospital who declined to be named said, adding that the Nyamusoro confided in him that he was drunk when the incident happened.

Insp Kakohwa said the engine operator in charge of the train on the fateful day was identified as Philson Imbayago.

"On approaching the 226 km peg, Imbayago sounded the horn but despite doing sorepeatedly, Nyamusoro did not hear the warning. The train hit him with the impact throwing him away from the track," he said.

The engine operator stopped 200 metres away from the accident scene.

"Police attended the scene before taking the victim who is now admitted at Mutare Provincial Hospital," Insp Kakohwa further explained.

When The Manica Post visited Mutare Provincial Hospital, they were denied entry and referred to the provincial medical director, who was not available.