TRUCK drivers and other motorists are lucky to be alive after a five-truck pile-up at the Gurambira area along the Bulawayo Victoria Falls Road on Friday.
NOKUTHABA DLAMINI/ LINDA CHINOBVA
According to eye witnesses, the accident happened at Gurambira area near Cross Dete on Friday afternoon after two haulage trucks collided.
“The haulage truck driver driving towards Bulawayo was trying to overtake, but his truck smashed onto the oncoming truck, which was heading towards Hwange,” a police officer said..
“The driver he had overtaken tried to brake, but he failed as he was already close and he also smashed, moments after that there was another one which came from the same direction. It was followed by a Dendairy small truck, which overturned.
“No one died, but all the drivers and passengers were seriously injured and were ferried to Hwange Colliery Hospital and they all got admitted.”
Meanwhile, two passenger trains derailed on the Victoria Falls route between Friday and yesterday.
The first derailment occurred at Igusi in Nyamandlovu and yesterday morning a train collided with a fuel tanker near Gwayi River.
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“The driver of the petrol tanker was crossing the railway line when the trailer wheels got stuck on the line,” the police source said.
“When the train approached the crossing some people tried to alert the driver by waving red flags, but the train failed to stop.
“The train then hit the truck which was loaded with diesel before it derailed.”
The injured, some with broken limbs, were rushed to Hwange Hospital where they are admitted.
National Railways of Zimbabwe public relations manager Fanuel Masikati confirmed the Friday incident.
“I can confirm that some trailers of a train coming from Victoria Falls headed to Bulawayo derailed at Nyamandlovu on Friday morning. “We have not established the cause, but investigations are underway,” he said. “No one was injured including the drivers. The derailment of a train is when some of the trailers move out of the railway line and at times the trailers might over turn but fortunately the trailers did not overturn.” Matabeleland North police spokeperson inspector Siphiwe Makonese could not comment on the truck pile-up and yesterday’s train accident saying she was in Bulawayo.
