Death toll revised to 12 in Bulawayo–Esigodini explosion

Police have revised the death toll from the Toyota Quantum explosion along the Bulawayo–Esigodini road to 12, with nine victims so far identified, as investigations into the cause of the blast continue.

Authorities said the vehicle was carrying 11 passengers, raising the likelihood that the 12th victim was a pedestrian, as no other vehicle was involved in the incident.

The victims were travelling from Bulawayo towards Gwanda when the vehicle exploded under circumstances that remain unclear.

The blast left a devastating scene, with some bodies burnt beyond recognition and others severely dismembered, complicating identification efforts.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has since declared the tragedy a State of Disaster, enabling the mobilisation of national resources to assist affected families.

In a statement, Daniel Garwe, Minister of Local Government and Public Works, said the declaration—made in terms of the Civil Protection Act—would facilitate a coordinated emergency response.

Garwe confirmed the fatalities and indicated that forensic processes, including DNA testing, would be required to identify some of the victims.

Preliminary investigations suggest the vehicle, reportedly belonging to Best Care Funeral Services, may have been carrying explosive material which detonated, causing the fatal blast. However, authorities stressed that investigations are ongoing and the final cause has not yet been established.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of devastation, with bodies scattered across the road and nearby bush.

One witness, Andrew Ncube, said some victims were still alive when he arrived, but critically injured.

Emergency responders, including the Bulawayo Fire Brigade, police and military units, attended the scene and sealed off the area. Fragments suspected to be explosive material were recovered near the wreckage, reinforcing initial suspicions of hazardous cargo.

The explosion reduced the vehicle to a burnt shell and left visible damage on the road surface, as investigators work to determine the exact sequence of events.