15 survive head-on collision

Fifteen people who were travelling in this commuter omnibus from Nketa were yesterday seriously injured and rushed to hospital after a collision with another kombi (out of picture) along Plumtree Road in Southwold, Bulawayo. - Picture by Rejoice Mberengwa — Fifteen people who were travelling in this commuter omnibus from Nketa were yesterday seriously injured and rushed to hospital after a collision with another kombi (out of picture) along Plumtree Road in Southwold, Bulawayo. – Picture by Rejoice Mberengwa

Nokusa Masuku Chronicle Reporter
FIFTEEN people narrowly escaped death when two commuter omnibuses collided in Bulawayo’s Southwold suburb along Plumtree Road last night. Three ambulances ferried more than a dozen injured passengers to Mpilo Central Hospital, while the Fire Brigade was called to rescue a man who was trapped in one of the vehicles.

Witnesses said a commuter omnibus, which was going towards the city centre turned in front of another public passenger carrier vehicle coming from the city centre.

“The accident happened very fast as the other kombi turned suddenly in front of an oncoming kombi from the city centre. So many people were seriously injured that it took more than three ambulances to ferry them to the hospital,” the witness said.

“It took almost an hour for the Fire Brigade team to rescue a man who was trapped in the kombi. They had to cut through mangled metal to rescue him.”

The latest accident comes a week after one person was killed while 17 others were seriously injured when a commuter omnibus overturned after ramming into a Delta Beverages vehicle along Khami Road and Mpopoma Drive.