TWO people have died and 13 others have sustained serious injuries in a road traffic accident in Nakonde district of Northern Province. The accident has been blamed on over speeding and over loading.
Both Nakonde District Commissioner Edwin Sinyinza and Northern Division police commanding officer Charles Lungu have confirmed the accident in separate interviews with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Nakonde today.
Mr. Lungu said the accident involving a Mbala bound canter light truck registration number ABT 5893 happened last night at about 19:30 hours near Fresh Air Pressure Resort along the Great North Road about 5 km from Nakonde.
Mr. Lungu said one person died on the spot while the other died on arrival at Nakonde health center. He explained that the light truck laden with people and an assortment of goods from Tanzania over turned following the disintegration of the chassis from the main body.
He said the driver identified as Felix Chiwala, has since been arrested and charged for causing death by dangerous driving and is detained at Nakonde police station.
And Mr. Sinyinza, who visited the injured victims at Nakonde health center last night, said most of the passengers had suffered broken ribs.
He said some of the victims have since been transferred to Isoka district hospital for specialist treatment.
The District Commissioner blamed the accident on over loading adding that on many occasions he has cautioned drivers from Mpulungu and Mbala districts not to over load their trucks.
Meanwhile, Nakonde Acting Council Secretary Titus Walima has appealed to the police in the area to ensure that no over loaded truck leaves Nakonde in order to safeguard lives.
ZANIS
The mysterious road misharps and huge tolls again….too bad for the fatalities..MTSRIEP.
Fresh air pressure resort……….
Hardly a week passes without these deadly mishaps. This calamity would have been avoided if the police & road safety officials had spot checked the truck in a roadblock before it proceeded to the highway.
Too much on that road, are there no police raod blocks to check these guys that break the traffic road rules?Innocent people are dying and someone need to take it seriously, sad indeed.