13 killed, 99 injured in road crashes

 
 

At least 13 people died on the spot and 99 were injured, some seriously, in three road accidents in Mbeya, Shinyanga and Tanga regions yesterday.

Reports say that ten people died on the spot, including the secretary of Mbeya Special Seats MP Dr Mary Mwanjelwa, while 25 others were severely injured when four vehicles and a commuter bus crashed into each other at Mbalizi in Mbeya Rural District.

Dr Mwanjelwa and her driver are among those injured. The lawmaker’s vehicles was burnt to ashes.

Eyewitnesses said the accident occurred when the driver of a tanker, with registration number T814 BTC, lost control after the brakes failed.

It then collided with a commuter bus, they said, before it hit other vehicles causing an inferno.

A resident of Mbalizi, Tizo Tamson (23), said immediately after the accident they rushed to rescue those involved, including the MP, but her car went up in flames. Her secretary (Amina) was killed on the spot. The injured were rushed to Ifisi Hospital for treatment, where Sikitu Mbilinyi, a nurse, confirmed that Dr Mwanjelwa sustained minor injuries.

Mbeya Regional Commissioner Abbas Kandoro was among the rescuers.

Eight of the dead bodies are preserved at the Mbeya Referral Hospital while the other two are at Ifisi Hospital.

In the other two accidents, involving two upcountry passenger buses, three people died on the spot while 74 others survived.

The Kahama accident in Shinyanga Region involved a Bukoba bound passenger bus named RS Company Express which collided with a truck leaving three people dead and 26 others seriously injured.

The bus with registration number T 495 ATG, was from Dar es Salaam, while the truck with registration number T 513 BNP belongs to Dhandho Company.

Kahama District acting chief medical officer Dr Emmanuel Andrew said they received the bodies at 10 am, few hours after the accident took place. He added that all the injured persons were given treatment.

Narrating, he said, that some of the passengers suffered broken legs. Four among them were in critical condition and have been taken to Bugando Referral Hospital in Mwanza City.

He named the deceased as Edwin Stephen, truck driver Hamidu Yusuph, and Zuraia Tuli (50), while the four injured, who are now admitted to Bugando Referral Hospital are Ugandan citizen Chabukana, employee of the National Service Makame Suleiman, Fred Peter and Shafi'i Abdalla.

Eye witnesses said the accident occurred when the truck driver was trying to overtake a cyclist and suddenly collided with the bus.

One of the casualties of the accident, who introduced himself as Johanes Ndyamukamu, said the bus was speeding.

In the Segera accident in Handeni District, Tanga Region, 48 passengers who were travelling from Rombo, Kilimanjaro Region to Dar es Salaam escaped death after their bus christened Dar Express with registration number T 369 ARH, caught fire.

During the accident, the passengers’ luggage was burnt to ashes. The value of their luggage is yet to be established.

Tanga Regional Police Commander Constantine Masawe confirmed the incident saying the bus was being driven by John Mwakihaba (41), a Dar es Salaam resident.

He said one of the passengers, Jackline Kisanga suffered head injuries when exiting and is admitted at Magunga Hospital in Korogwe.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN