Truck Carrying Fuel and Gas Cylinders Catches Fire in Mazowe, Seven Injured
Seven people were injured after a truck transporting fuel and gas cylinders caught fire while offloading its cargo at Jumbo Mine in Mazowe on Tuesday.
The blaze destroyed the Hino truck and left several victims nursing injuries sustained during the incident at Chitepo Village.
National police spokesperson Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and identified the suspect as 32-year-old Patrick Matiwone.
Suspect Arrested Over Illegal Fuel Trading
Police said Matiwone allegedly did not possess a licence or permit authorising him to trade in petroleum products.
According to investigators, the fire broke out while diesel, petrol and gas cylinders were being offloaded from the truck.
Authorities said the vehicle was carrying three 200-litre drums of diesel, three 200-litre drums of petrol and eight 48-kilogramme gas cylinders at the time of the incident.
“The suspect had no licence or permit to trade in petroleum products,” said Comm Nyathi.
Police have since opened a culpable homicide case against the suspect as investigations continue into the cause of the fire.
Truck Reduced to Ashes
The inferno completely destroyed the truck, with eyewitnesses reportedly scrambling for safety as flames engulfed the vehicle.
The injured victims were taken for medical treatment, although police had not released details on the severity of their injuries by Wednesday.
Four Die in Harare–Masvingo Highway Crash
Meanwhile, four people were killed and four others injured in a separate road accident along the Harare–Masvingo Highway early Wednesday morning.
The crash occurred at the 220-kilometre peg near Mvuma at around 1:30am and involved an Asian Star bus and a Mercedes-Benz Atego truck.
Police said the bus, which was travelling from Masvingo to Harare carrying 60 passengers, allegedly veered into the opposite lane while trying to avoid a pedestrian.
Bus Overturns After Head-On Collision
Comm Nyathi said the bus collided head-on with the oncoming truck before overturning and landing on its side.
The truck subsequently struck the pedestrian.
The truck driver, two passengers who were in the truck and the pedestrian died on the spot, while four bus passengers sustained injuries.
The bodies of the deceased were taken to Mvuma Hospital Mortuary for post-mortem examinations.
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