daniel chigunwe
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
A swift response by the Gweru Fire Brigade and key stakeholders in the security sector helped rescue passengers trapped in a cross-border Hungwe Coaches bus, which overturned yesterday morning after failing to navigate a roundabout, killing five people on the spot, including a four-year-old child.
Several other passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to Gweru Provincial Hospital for urgent medical attention.
The bus, travelling from Francistown in Botswana to Harare, was carrying cross-border traders and their luggage, bundled at the back, when the accident occurred around 7AM.
Of those injured, six were reported to be in critical condition, 10 were severely wounded, and four, one of whom had a severely broken arm, were taken to theatre after suffering traumatic amputations.
Others were treated and later discharged.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms a fatal road traffic accident involving a Hungwe Coaches bus, in which five people were killed and 21 others injured at around 0600 hours at a roundabout near Fairmile Hotel, Gweru,” police said in a statement.
“The driver failed to negotiate the roundabout and lost control of the vehicle. The bus was coming from Botswana.
Among the deceased are four adult females and one female juvenile. Ten of the 21 injured are currently admitted to Gweru Provincial Hospital.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to clarify that no other vehicle or party was involved in the accident besides the bus itself.”
The police have urged members of the public to be responsible when using social media and to respect the privacy of the victims and their families.
Earlier, Officer Commanding Gweru District, Chief Superintendent Leon Marongedza (pictured), confirmed that the bus had two drivers on board, both of whom survived, and investigations were underway to determine the precise cause of the crash.
“The bus was in Gweru around 7AM, indicating that it was travelling overnight, which is strongly discouraged.
“Drivers must avoid night driving wherever possible,” he said.
Gweru Provincial Hospital Superintendent, Dr Fabian Mashingaidze, confirmed they received a total of 48 patients from the scene.
“We attended to 48 patients, four are currently in theatre.
One patient sustained head injuries and will be transferred to Harare. There were five fatalities: four females and one child.
The child was four years old, while the other two identified deceased were aged 38 and 48. Two remain unidentified. The driver was treated and is now stable,” he said.
Gweru City Council Chief Fire Officer, Mr Felix Muguti, said their team worked tirelessly to rescue survivors from the wreckage and to prevent the outbreak of fire.
“Upon receiving the distress call around 7AM, we immediately co-ordinated with our stakeholders, including ambulance services and military personnel,” he said.
“We successfully rescued several injured passengers and ensured they were transported to Gweru Provincial Hospital for treatment. We also recovered five bodies, including that of the minor.
“I want to commend our stakeholders for their swift and effective response.”
One survivor, who requested anonymity, said the journey was proceeding smoothly until the bus passed the Tree Top tollgate, about 20km from Gweru’s central business district.
“After the tollgate, the engine appeared to seize. The drivers switched places, and we overheard one mentioning brake failure. We weren’t sure what was going on with the bus,” she said.
As the bus approached the Fairmile Hotel roundabout, it veered to the left and overturned, landing on its right side.
“I was sitting at the front near the driver when it happened. As we neared the roundabout, the driver said he was losing the brakes, and the bus suddenly gained speed. It then overturned. I managed to escape. Within five minutes, ambulances had arrived and started ferrying the injured to hospital,” she added.
Another witness said some passengers were crushed by luggage that had been loaded at the back of the bus.
“People were injured or killed when luggage fell on them. We had packed our belongings on the back seats, and to show how overloaded the bus was, a 30-tonne UD truck had to make two trips to ferry the luggage to Gweru Central Police Station for safekeeping. I believe if there hadn’t been so much luggage, we might not have had fatalities or such serious injuries,” the witness said.
Online Reporter