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Mrs Sahi Musiiwa and her seven-month-old son Tedious survived the horrific crash unscathed.
The truck ripped the right side of the bus where most of the dead, including the driver were.
The Lofombo bus was on its way to Gokwe.
This brings to 67, the number of people killed in road accidents this month alone.
Among the deceased were two children.
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Twenty-four injured passengers were taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital while two others were admitted at Harare Central Hospital.
Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Oliver Mandipaka said the accident occurred near Bryn Farm, about 15km after Norton.
Officer Commanding national traffic (administration) Assistant Commissioner Kenny Mthombeni said the driver lost control after the tyre burst.
“The driver lost control and there was an oncoming haulage truck that ripped off the right side of the bus resulting in the 18 deaths.
“One more person, who is a woman, died from the other bus (Lofombo) which was trying to avoid ramming onto the (Chawasarira) bus and the truck but in the process veered off the road and landed on its left side,” he said.
About 10 ambulances and the Zimbabwe National Army were summoned to the scene to assist.
People from nearby farms, including Che-gutu district administrator Mr Makanzwei Jecheche looked on as police scoured through the wreckages of the two buses.
The haulage truck driver Mr Lawrence Chikuku, who escaped with minor injuries, said the Chawasarira bus driver was speeding.
“The tyre burst when he was about 30 metres from colliding with me. He encroached into my lane, but since he was swerving I failed to avoid him and the whole right side of the bus was ripped off,” he said.
Mrs Musiiwa concurred that the bus driver was speeding.
“From Mbare, the bus was speeding and they were racing with the Lofombo bus. Conductor nemaloader vanga vachingoti rovera bhora mberi driver, vachimhanyisana. (The conductor and the loaders were urging the driver to speed.) As he was overtaking, I heard a sound of something bursting and the next thing I saw was blood in the bus,” she said.
Mr Bernard Munyengeterwa, who was in the Lofombo bus added: “Both drivers were speeding and we are fortunate that many people from our bus did not die.”
Chief Superintendent Mandipaka said drivers should avoid speeding and be patient on the roads.
He said police would take stern measures against reckless drivers.
“We cannot continue losing lives because of excitement, carelessness and care-free attitude of these reckless drivers. Police on the road should be strict when they come across drivers conducting themselves outside required standards,” he said.
The police spokesman said drivers should be wary of tyre bursts since the hot season was approaching.
Last year, two buses rammed into a stationary truck, seconds within each other, killing 19 people on the spot.
Earlier this month, 14 people died when an overloaded omnibus burst its left rear tyre and overturned in Nyazura.
Four days later, four more people perished when a commuter omnibus burst a tyre and veered off the road.
Fifteen other people were killed in two separate road accidents in Chivhu and Kadoma.
Online Reporter