Four people, including a three-year-old girl-child, have died on the spot while five others sustained serious injuries after the vehicle they were travelling in overturned on the Great North Road following a tire burst.
The incident, involving a Toyota Regius, registration Number ALJ 5004, happened on Saturday evening near Mukando Police Check point, 35 km from Serenje Town.
Serenje District Commissioner, Charles Mwelwa and Central Province Police Commissioner, Standwell Lungu, confirmed the accident to ZANIS.
Mr Lungu said the accident happened when the vehicle carrying members of the same family and a neighbour travelling from Lusaka to Samfya overturned following a rear tire burst.
“They were travelling from Lusaka. When they were almost reaching the check point at Mukando on the Great North Road, their vehicle had a rear tire burst and this is how the three-year-old baby, Helen Musonda and the three others met their fate,” Mr Lungu said.
The Police Commissioner said the road accident survivors were rushed to Serenje District Hospital for treatment.
Mr Lungu named other deceased persons as Kunda Lufungulo, male aged, 40, Margaret Chisala, 45, and Kaela Changwe ,22 all of Lusaka.
And speaking from his bed in Serenje District Hospital, driver of the family bus, Robert Changwe, a businessman of Matero in Lusaka said the travellers were singing as they travelled.
Mr Changwe said the vehicle was travelling at between 100 and 120 Km/h and he just heard a burst and the bus overturn.
The 54 year old man, who complained of a neck ache and swollen arm, said it was a miracle for him to come out of the mangled family bus.
“I cannot remember much about what happened after the tire burst. Apart from seeing the brain of my late child I was confused and the rest is history” said mother of the deceased baby Rita Chifungulo from her hospital bed in Serenje.
The five road accident victims have, however, been evacuated to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka.
ZANIS
My prayers to the bereaved family on the tragedy…God grant you strength. Quick recovery to the injured.
Can the police/RTSA give us the accident statistics for this year alone?
The numbers are alarming and yet we dont hear the authorities say anything to stop this needless carnage.
These accidents have become routine and going by the silence of the entire nation, we seem to have accepted such loses as normal?
why are the authorities not doing anything? and why are the Zambian people silent?
Very sad Indeed.there must be are a reduction in group travelling for safety.mtsrip.
may the souls of the departed live in eternal peace
May their souls rest in eternal peace. God grant the survivors the strength to move past this very trying and difficult time.