At least two people have been killed after a goods train and a fuel tanker truck collided in Kapiri Mposhi, Central Province on Monday morning.
Central Province acting Police Commanding Officer Donald Mwandila said the accident occurred around 10:00 hours when the driver of the fuel tanker truck failed to stop at the rail crossing located near Kapiri Glass Factory junction.
Mr. Mwandila narrated that the tanker which was moving from Lusaka to Ndola collided with the goods train and burst into a blaze.
He said the unidentified locomotive operator together with his co-operator was burnt to ashes.
Mr. Mwandila identified the truck driver as Timothy Shawa of House Number 364/13 Matero Township, Lusaka who was driving a FAW tanker truck and trailer registration number BBA 2400zm /BBA2313T.
Mr. Shawa’s condition was not ascertained by news time.
“Fatal injuries in the Road Traffic Accident occurred on 14/02/22 at 10:20 hours at the Railway crossing at KGP area along Ndola highway. Involved was unknown locomotive Operator who was operating the Locomotive from South to North and the Driver M/Timothy Shawa of H/N 364/13 Matero Township Lusaka who was driving FAW tanker truck and trailer registration number BBA 2400zm /BBA2313T from South to North,” Mr. Mwandila said.
“The road traffic accident happened as the said driver failed to stop at the Railway crossing in the process his vehicle was hit by the oncoming locomotive which had the right of way. The Locomotive operator together with his co-operator were burned to ashes. The motor vehicle was extensively damaged while the locomotive had its head burnt to ashes,” he said.
Meanwhile, Central Province Permanent Secretary Milner Mwanakampwe has expressed sadness over the loss of lives in the Kapiri road accident.
Mr. Mwanakampwe said authorities were still ascertaining the number of fatalities in the accident.
“We had a bad accident this morning at 10:20 in Kapiri Mposhi at the junction of Kapiri Glass Factory where a train and a tanker truck collided. The Tanker driver was trying to cross the line of rail without following rail rules or stopping by the rail crossing and I wish to mention that the whole locomotive has been burnt and the truck has been extensively damaged. We are yet to ascertain the exact number of fatalities but there were serious injuries,” Mr. Mwanakampwe said.
The outcome of Tanker empowerment. The fuel industry is specialised and requires lots of training in safety . You do not just go and pick a cadre and give them tankers to start transporting fuel . It is irresponsible and dangerous. We never learn. It was the same with the black mountain….WE NEVER LEARN.
May God console the mourning families.
There have been several similar accidents at this same sport. The other time even those that attempted to decant fuel were also burnt. RTSA should be proactive and declare these accident prone areas as blackspots and take measures to avert such disasters. They can even mount automated barriers such that when there’s a locomotive coming the barriers close the road. For how can one not stop at that rail crossing? Traffic is always slow at that spot because of those vendors, besides the road is designed in such a way that you can’t cruise past that spot. We can’t continue to lose lives in the same fashion at the same place, it shows that we lack critical thinkers
Ayatollah THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! Life is very expensive to be lost in such a way!!!!!!!!!!!!! OR ELSE they can put big hamps to make those truck drivers see the locomotive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHAME………………. Sorry for the loss
Sad, really sad. Did someone choose to commit suicide? I know the railway crossing very well. It’s not possible that the road tanker driver did not see the train coming. I’m speechless.
Government should do something at this place, i remember in 1995 hundreds of people died in the same way as the passenger train was on fire after heating into a fuel tanker. I remember the then vice president brigadire general Miyanda came to Kapiri when the catholic hard service for the peolpe hundreds of coffins and promises where made to collect the situation, today other Zambians have burnt to ashes and life will continue as normal.
THis is what happens when you are giving every jack to drive a fuel tanker…govt needs to investigate where the $120 million Eurobond for ZRL after Chiriwa left was invested in.
MSRIP
I don’t know who’s going to save Zambians. Life is so hard, we have so many street children and beggars and yet some want to go about life in a way that imposes costs on society.
I just acquired my dangerous goods licence 2 days ago…now my licence class is CE PSV with categories DGP- but what i observed made me worry… drivers attending these schools are graduating raw …two days in class for a dangerous goods course is not enough thats why you see these raw maniacs disregading rail crossing signs causing such unnecessary accidents..the fool should be stripped of his licence
This is an embarrasingly sad incident. May the dead rest in peace and may they intercede that something be done to save lives in future.
Embarrasing because;
1. this accident was avoidable
2. this deadly spot could be prioritised in the road works and a flyover bridge is possible
3. most of all the author of the article was too lazy to ascertain the name the two locomotive drivers who died on duty.
Sad because
1. The one route connection between Kapriri and Ndola disrupted other road and rail line users
2. Our Emergency Services are so slow and limited
For the information of the younger generation, there used to be serious accidents in Lusaka that involved locomotives and motor vehicles especially at Great East road crossing near Zesco and on Independence Avenue near Findeco House until Sata decided to construct flyover bridges. At that time railways traffic was heavy as there was always a train in a space of 30 minutes. Now railway traffic has been reduced to may be even 1 per week but we still have people dying from preventable accidents!
@Ayatollah, I agree with about the accidents those two roads but Sata did not construct the Findeco House flyover bridge but the Great East Road one after he became of Lusaka in the 80s. I tand to be corrected though!