Story by Tafara Chikumira
KWEKWE – TWELVE people died while two others were injured in a road traffic accident involving three vehicles near Sebakwe River along the Harare-Bulawayo Highway this Tuesday.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirmed the accident which killed six women and six males who were travelling in a Nissan van.
“I can confirm that the accident happened around 10:30 in the morning. Information at hand indicates that a fuel tanker traveling from Harare direction side-swiped with a small lorry creating commotion which led to the lorry hitting and landing on a Nissan AD-Van killing 12 people.
“The civil protection team was then swiftly called in to come and remove the tanker as well as retrieve the bodies of those who perished. The swift removal of the tanker helped in saving lives as it could have exploded causing further losses of lives,” Midlands Province Officer Commanding Operations, Assistant Commissioner Martin Matambo said.
“We received an SOS in the morning and in 15 minutes, we were already on site well-armed with our fire-fighting kits,” Kwekwe City Council Head of Fire Department Mr Admire Musarakufa noted.
“Our critical task was to remove the tanker which was full of fuel. The place was also cordoned off to prevent passengers and motorists from causing unnecessary scene. We managed to use our fighter-fighting trucks to avert the truck from bursting into flames,”
The local political leadership praised the Second Republic for procuring fire tenders that are now coming in handy during such incidents.
“It is only through visionary leadership that we now see service delivery coming on board in times of need. Today we could have witnessed something else had President Emmerson Mnangagwa not availed such trucks. We are seeing fruits of devolution,” Zibagwe Chirumanzu council’s Ward 2 Councillor Basilio Mutosvori said.
The accident witnessed Kwekwe City Council availing three fire tenders, while Redcliff Municipality availed one, with development partners coming on board to provide towing vehicles and ambulances to ferry the injured.
The local Civil Protection Team has since recommended that the accident be declared a national disaster.
