The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter
SIX people died on the spot while eight others were seriously injured when a truck carrying an assortment of fruits and passengers burst its front tyre at a sharp curve and overturned near Kriste Mambo on Wednesday night.
The fatal accident occurred at the 50km peg near Kriste Mambo High along Nyanga-Rusape Road.
In a separate incident that occurred during the same night along that route, a DAF truck carrying fruits and passengers was involved in an accident at Bandana, near Juliasdale, and injured 17 passengers, five of them seriously.
Both trucks were overloaded with bananas, avocados and sugarcane, with passengers precariously clinging atop the produce.
National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the death of the six people near Kriste Mambo.
The bodies and victims were taken to Bonda Mission Hospital.
“I can confirm that there was an accident that happened at the 50km peg along the Rusape-Nyanga Road in which a lorry carrying bananas and passengers in the loading bay failed to negotiate a curve and overturned.
“The six people died on the spot while eight others were injured and rushed to hospital. We will release more details in due course,” said Assistant Commissioner Nyathi.
The Mercedes Benz truck was travelling to Harare, with 16 passengers on board.
Four were seated at the front while 12 were in the loading bay with the fruits and cane.
The trucks were overloaded with bananas, avocados and sugarcane, with passengers precariously clinging atop the produce
The Manica Post understands that the truck burst its front left trye and the driver tried to control it, but failed.
Upon reaching the sharp curve, the truck veered off the road and overturned, thereby trapping six people to death.
Some of the victims, who were seated on top of the load, were thrown out of the moving truck while some were trapped in the wreckage.
Mutasa District Medical Officer, Dr Ceaphas Fonte said eight people were admitted at Bonda Mission Hospital.
Police could not immediately release the names of the deceased as the next of kin had not yet been informed.
However, all the victims were from Honde Valley.
In the second accident that occurred at the 76km peg.
The DAF truck, which had 17 passengers on board, failed to negotiate a curve at Bandana and overturned.
Five of the injured victims are said to be in a serious condition at Nyanga General Hospital.
The hospital matron, Sister Dorothy Toma refused to entertain questions from the media citing protocol.
She, however, said doctors were busy attending to the victims.
“I am not the right person to talk to you but I am in the ward right now and the doctors are running around to assist the patients. They are taking the patients for x-rays to assess the magnitude of the injuries,” she said.
The victims allegedly sustained head, spinal, shoulder and soft tissue injuries, as well as fractured limbs and ribs.
