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At least three Zimbabweans died after being involved in a
three-truck pile up at the treacherous Kapiringozi Escarpment along the
Chirundu-Kafue Road in Zambia.
The accidents occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning
when the driver of one of the trucks lost control of the vehicle as it was
descending the mountainous area, rammed into an oncoming truck before hitting a
broken down truck, igniting a huge inferno.
An unknown number of people in the trucks were burnt beyond
recognition. Zambian police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Esther Katongo
confirmed the accident adding that two Zimbabwean drivers had so far been
positively identified.
“Police in Chirundu received a report of a road traffic
accident which happened today 16th August, 2020 around 6.40am on Chirundu-Kafue
road at Kapiringozi hills involving three trucks.
“Involved in the accident was an unknown motor vehicle
driven by an unknown driver with unknown number of passengers who are suspected
to have been burnt to ashes,” she said.
One of the deceased drivers was a 25-year-old Zimbabwean
who was driving a Volvo truck which had broken down while the other one was
driving a truck with suspected Jet A1 fuel which could have ignited the
inferno.
“The accident occurred when the unknown driver who was
driving the completely burnt truck and was descending the hill lost control due
to excessive speed and hit into a FAW Motor vehicle which was carrying
suspected Jet1 Fuel. It also hit a stationary Volvo truck which had a break
down and all the vehicles caught fire and were completely burnt,” she said.
Police and the fire brigade managed to put out the fire but
the number of people who have died in the accident has not yet been
established. Herald
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