GjjMAWABENI — Seven people died late Friday night after a haulage truck plowed into a crowd of bystanders who had gathered at the scene of a traffic accident along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road, local authorities reported.
The incident occurred at approximately 10 p.m. in the Mawabeni area. According to a report by Zachariah Jusah, chairperson of the Matabeleland South Provincial Civil Protection Committee, the fatalities were the result of a secondary crash that followed a three-vehicle collision on a local bridge.
The initial sequence of events began when a Nissan March and a Toyota Probox, both traveling toward Gwanda, collided with each other. Shortly after, a kombi traveling in the same direction struck the stationary vehicles. Authorities stated that six people were injured in this initial pileup and were subsequently rushed to a hospital.
Following the first crash, local community members ran to the bridge to view the accident scene.
According to Jusah, it was at this point that a haulage truck heading toward Bulawayo approached the area at a "high speed" and struck the crowd of onlookers.
Five people were killed instantly at the scene. Two additional victims succumbed to their injuries while en route to the hospital, bringing the death toll to seven.
Authorities have not yet released the identities of the deceased or the current conditions of the six individuals injured in the initial collision. - Zimbo LIVE Harare
