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The wreckage of the Nissan Caravan in which five people died after a crash on Sunday

Leonard Ncube/Whinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporters
FIVE people died and eight others were injured when a vehicle they were travelling in veered off the road and overturned near Tinde turn off at the 39 km peg along the Cross Dete-Binga Road, police said yesterday.

The accident occurred at around 7PM on Sunday when the driver of a Nissan Caravan vehicle failed to negotiate a curve, causing the car to veer off the road.

National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the accident.

“Police would like to confirm the death of five people in a road traffic accident which occurred in Hwange on Sunday. A Nissan Caravan public service vehicle was travelling along Cross Dete Road towards Binga with 13 passengers on board,” she said.

“On approaching the 39 km peg, the driver failed to negotiate a curve, lost control of the vehicle which veered off the road to the right and overturned before landing on its roof, killing five people on the spot.”

Snr Asst Comm Charamba urged motorists to exercise caution when driving to avoid loss of innocent lives.

“They should be observant and ensure that they do not speed,” she said.

The Binga Civil Protection Unit team reacted swiftly and attended the scene following the accident.

Binga District Administrator Mrs Lydia Ndethi-Banda, who was among those who went to the scene, said the situation was terrible when they arrived.

“It seemed the driver was speeding and lost control of the vehicle and we want to urge drivers to drive with caution especially at night.

“Passengers should also carry identity particulars because we’re failing to identify some of the victims who had no particulars. It’s difficult to talk about names of the casualties now,” said Mrs Ndethi-Banda.

A source who was at the scene said they suspected that the driver, who also died, was speeding leading to his failure to negotiate a curve when he approached Tinde Bridge.

“It was a horrific scene. Some of those in the vehicle were teachers from Siachilaba Primary and Secondary Schools who were returning to their station from Hwange.

“The injured were rushed to Kamativi Hospital before being transferred to the Colliery Hospital in Hwange,” said the source.

The bodies of the deceased were conveyed to Hwange Colliery Hospital Mortuary for post mortem.