Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, [email protected]
THE driver of the fuel tanker that overturned at the 428km peg along Harare-Bulawayo Road on Sunday afternoon while carrying 40 000 litres of petrol has been charged with negligent driving under the Roads Traffic Act.
Ephraihm Banda (42) of Norton was alone in the vehicle, driving from Harare to Bulawayo. According to police, he is yet to produce his driver’s licence, the vehicle licence and the vehicle insurance.
“The cause of the accident was due to failure to keep the motor vehicle under proper control by the sole party, hence a charge of contravening section 52(2) of the Road Traffic Act chapter 13:11 ‘negligent driving’ is being preferred,” said Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele.
A swift, coordinated response by Bulawayo’s emergency teams spared motorists and nearby communities from what could have spiralled into catastrophe.
Banda escaped with minor injuries and was pulled from the wreckage before being rushed to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) for treatment.
Residents from nearby houses in Mahatshula were quickly alerted of the danger as authorities took no chance, considering the flammability of the substance in the overturned tanker.
After securing life, the Bulawayo Fire Brigade crew managed to close the leaking fuel and mobilised other stakeholders, including Environmental Management Agency (EMA), Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera), Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), the Zimbabwe Republic Police, and the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, which oversees the Civil Protection Unit, chaired by the Mrs Tsvagai Fikile Marovatsanga, the Bulawayo Metropolitan director in the Ministry and her deputy who is also the Officer Commanding police in Bulawayo, Commissioner Jasper Chizemo.
After nearly 72 hours of a delicate and precise rescue operation led by the Bulawayo Fire and Ambulance Services, the tanker was finally put back on the road ahead of being towed away around midday yesterday.
The tanks were lifted from the ditch after a successful decanting exercise that started late Tuesday afternoon.
Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer Mr Mhlangano Moyo said while safety was their top priority during the operation, part of the delay was caused by financial resources from the tanker owners Energy Park Fuels as they could not meet the initially hired crane company that wanted US$15 000.
“The operation is now complete, the tanker is on the road and being towed away. It was indeed a delicate operation because we were dealing with a highly flammable liquid,” he said.
“However, financial challenges from Energy Park Fuels were another reason why it took this long. We ended up settling for the one that charged US$8 000.”
Insp Msebele said following the completion of the rescue operation, the section of the road that had been closed was now open to the motoring public. EMA Bulawayo provincial manager, Ms Sithembisiwe Ndlovu, said emergency and regulatory processes were swiftly activated, with remaining fuel being removed from the containers to prevent further environmental damage.
“At the moment, all the processes have been done. The fuel that was left in the containers has been removed, and EMA is now working with the recovery department,” she said.
Ms Ndlovu added that the next phase involves applying chemicals to neutralise the spilt petrol, a process expected to be completed within a short timeframe.
“The application of the chemicals to neutralise the petrol will be done today and possibly up to tomorrow (today) morning,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ms Ndlovu said the company where a blast caused by fuel tankers that led to extensive damage along Goderich Avenue in Bulawayo on Monday night, was operating without a licence to transport hazardous substances.The blaze, which broke out at around 10.30PM at a premises opposite DA Garage along Goderich Avenue, destroyed at least 12 vehicles, including fuel tankers, trucks and commuter omnibuses and spread into a neighbouring property as firefighters battled for more than three hours to bring it under control.
By the time the flames were subdued, two large fuel tankers, two medium tankers, five mini tankers and a Toyota Hiace had been completely destroyed, turning the fuel depot yard into a graveyard of burnt-out wreckage.
Ms Ndlovu said the company was found on the wrong side of the law after investigations revealed it was operating without the required licence.
“We had an incident of a hazardous substance, which was diesel, being transported by a company, and a fire occurred. It was noted that the truck did not have a licence to transport hazardous substances,” she said.
EMA, as the regulatory authority, is mandated to license and monitor the transportation of hazardous substances to ensure public and environmental safety.
