Two deceased victims of the Kapiri Mposhi road accident have been identified by their employer Zambia Railways Limited.
Mr. Munyau Bafana and Mr. Kenani Silwamba were killed after a goods train they were operating collided with a fuel tanker truck in Kapiri Mposhi, Central Province on Monday morning.
The accident occurred around 10:00 hours when the driver of the fuel tanker truck failed to give way to the train carrying coal near the former Kapiri Glass Factory junction.
Mr. Bafana and Mr. Silwamba were burned to death in a blaze resulting from a collision between the tanker which was moving from Lusaka to Ndola and the Zambia Railways Limited owned train.
Zambia Railways Limited acting Managing Director Fred Mwila has described the death of two crew members in the accident as a big loss to the company.
Mr. Mwila says the Level Crossing accident, which took place at Lukanda Level Crossing near the former Kapiri Glass Factory has robbed the company of two highly skilled train men who had a promising future in the company.
He said Mr. Bafana and Mr. Silwamba were both young and energetic employees who carried out their assignments with passion and diligence.
‘’At this point our thoughts and prayers are with the two grieving families and relatives. We pray that God will give them strength and comfort as they navigate this painful loss. As Zambia Railways, we shall endeavour to do everything within our means, to give the departed workmates a befitting funeral,” Mr. Mwila said in a statement
Mr. Mwila further bemoaned the continued disregard of Rail and Road Safety by motorists which has led to a number of fatal accidents, most of which are avoidable.
“Time and time again, we have implored road users and members of the general public to exercise maximum caution and patience at Level Crossings, but our appeals seem to have fallen on deaf ears. With just a little patience, those lives could have been spared. We cannot continue like this,” Mr. Mwila said.
Mr. Mwila saluted all stakeholders who worked with Zambia Railways to clear the blockage of the road caused by the accident.
A Zambia Railways Cargo train (No.524) carrying coal to Ndola was hit by a Fuel tanker (Registration No: BBA 2400) belonging to Kalahari Transport of Lusaka.
Meanwhile, the road traffic accident investigations conducted by the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) have established that the crash was caused by driver negligence.
The accident investigations have established that Timothy Shawa, the driver of the fuel tanker truck, did drive without reasonable due care by failing to stop as he vehicle collided with the train causing an explosion that resulted in the loss of two lives.
RTSA Head of Public Relations Fredrick Mubanga said the investigations have further indicated that despite the warning signage placed before the railway crossing and warning sound from the locomotive, the driver of the truck could not stop to allow the train to pass in line with rule number 255 of the Zambian Highway Code which grants the train the right of way.
“The report further reveals that the locomotive, which had 19 wagons of coal, dragged the fuel tanker for about 150 meters from the point of impact where the fuel tanker and part of the locomotive exploded into flames. The RTSA is of the view that the driver of the fuel tanker truck, acted negligently, violated the driver’s duty of reasonable care considering that he was carrying dangerous goods and demonstrated to be a danger to other road users,” Mr. Mubanga said.
“Therefore, the RTSA will proceed to write to the driver to show cause why his Driving License should not be revoked for disregarding the provisions of the Road Traffic Act No. 11 of 2002, with impunity. To compel motorists to stop at railway crossings, the RTSA recommends the installation of automated gates and warning lights at all railway crossings on the Zambian road network,” he said.
Really difficult identifications: the two drivers of the train. I could have done that with my eyes closed. May the victims rest in peace.
This is very sad. No words can describe the magnitude of this unfortunate incident.
MTSRIP
Indiscipline is costly. That’s what we’re all paying for.
ZR need also to improve and implement more warning systems to warn motorists of oncoming trains………..
They can’t only expect drivers to listen out for horns from the trains…….
Really sad. Please give us more details of the deceased so we mourn the gallant men properly: how old were they, how long they worked with ZR, how many children have they left behind? These details make the tragedy to become very personal to everyone – and invoke calls for immediate action from both parties. Zambia Railways should also hold themselves responsible for negligence. Every major rail crossing in Zambia is a death trap.
Mount Barriers or build a fly overbridge at all strategic Level crossings. In the meantime barriers can help such that whenever a train is approaching the level crossing the barriers will automatically close the road on both sides. In the past there used to be Barriers at level crossing we just dont know what happened ?As for fly overbridge one good example is at Kabwe roundbout as you go on to great east road near Zesco HQ and Toyota Zambia so many accidents used to happen at that great east road level crossing untill the Late President Mr.Sata receted a fly overbridge at that point when he was Lusaka district Governor.
Stop blaming the railway company for the accident. Zambian indiscipline is just about boundless.
In the past there were bells that used to sound when a train was nearby complete with traffic lights. These should also be re-installed.
Driver should be charged causing death by dangerous driving. Let him go to court.
Zambian drivers should slow down at crossings and look both ways, there is no way a truck driver can’t see what’s coming if he was driving slower after all he is high up in his cab.
Build fly over bridge at all busy Level crossings. Like what they did by building great east road Lusaka fly over bridge.
Zambia drivers are very careless just check how they misbehave on Mumbwa road from Dandika all the way up to Garden House area.