Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza-Bulawayo Bureau
FOR a motorist driving into Bulawayo from Harare for the first time, a section of the busy highway, about 12 kilometres from the city centre, gives a perfect view of the skyline of the City of Kings, punctuated by high-rise buildings, but beneath that serene picture lies an almost deadly reality that confronts haulage truck drivers who transport fuel.
Nothing looks amiss to the naked eye, but a section of the road just before Mahatshula East suburb is now notoriously known for being a spot where truckers transporting fuel lose control of their vehicles and crash.
In June last year, disaster was averted when a fuel tanker carrying 37 000 litres of petrol and diesel was involved in an accident just after Umguza River along Bulawayo-Harare Road.
The tanker, which contained 19 500 litres of petrol and 17 500 litres of diesel, collided with a Nissan Note, which spun around, striking part of the fuel carrier.
A major disaster could have occurred, potentially leading to countless lives being lost and a severe wildfire.
Following the collision, the diesel compartment of the fuel tanker began to leak, resulting in the loss of thousands of litres of the flammable liquid. The Bulawayo Fire Brigade responded quickly, dispatching three fire engines and an ambulance to the scene. Their swift action helped to prevent a major catastrophe, including the potential loss of life and an environmental disaster.
No fatalities were recorded.
“Countless lives could have been lost, and veld fires could have engulfed both sides of the highway if a fire had ignited when the fuel tanker lost thousands of litres of diesel,” said Chief Fire Officer Mr Mhlangano Moyo at the time when the accident happened.
“The Fire Brigade dispatched several fire engines after a call was made that a fuel tanker had been involved in an accident.”
Last week, another potentially dangerous situation unfolded along the same section of the highway when a fuel tanker carrying 40 000 litres of petrol veered off the road near Mahatshula Bridge and landed on the side of the road.
The driver was rushed to United Bulawayo Hospitals by a Brigade Ambulance for medical attention.
Firefighters and other emergency personnel cordoned off the area and closed part of the lane as a precaution, amid fears of a possible fuel leak or explosion. Motorists and residents were urged to keep away from the scene to allow rescue teams to work without hindrance.
The two accidents involving fuel tankers occurred on spots less than 500 metres apart, said the fire brigade boss, Moyo.
“We implore drivers to exercise extreme caution when approaching Umguza Bridge, where we have witnessed fuel tankers losing control in the area. Fuel is a highly flammable substance which has the potential to cause massive human and property loss if it ignites and it’s fortunate that no fires ignited from the two incidents.
“Drivers have no reason to speed when they approach that area as they would have travelled hundreds of kilometres to get to Bulawayo and can already see the city in their sights,” said Moyo.
After the latest incident, Mahatshula residents expressed shock at how a 40 000-litre petrol tanker overturned just after the railway flyover, triggering panic and a swift response from emergency services in Bulawayo.
One resident, Mr Hloniphani Nkomo, said the driver was warned that the area was unsafe for parking as it posed a risk of accidents.
“He then started the vehicle and was moving at a very slow speed when, out of nowhere, the truck veered off the road and overturned,” said Mr Nkomo.
Another resident, Mr George Ncube, said he first became aware of the incident after noticing a strong smell of petrol some distance away from the scene.
“I was disturbed by the smell of fuel, which could be sensed about 300 metres away. When I asked what was happening, I was told that a fuel tanker had overturned,” said Mr Ncube.
He added that when he arrived at the scene, fuel was already leaking from the tanker, raising fears of a possible explosion.
“There was fuel coming out from the tank breather, and I just prayed that there would be no explosion. Within minutes, two fire tenders, followed by an ambulance, arrived at the scene,” he said.
A delicate operation to remove the damaged fuel tanker from the scene was conducted by a local company that deals in pipes and steel in conjunction with the Bulawayo Fire Brigade, whose team of firefighters doused the tanker with water to prevent a fire from igniting.
