10 injured in road accident
About 10 people sustained injuries and were rushed to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre on Sunday after being involved in a road accident along the Magalasi Road near the junction to Machinjiri.
The accident involved a minibus which was travelling from Ndirande Township to Machinjiri and a truck registration MBP 45-31 belonging to J&J Transport which was carrying fertiliser. Witnesses said the truck was coming from Blantyre direction.
During a visit to the scene of the accident, The Nation found police officers in full control of the situation to protect the bags of fertiliser.
Daud Khan, a passenger who was sitting in the front seat of the minibus and sustained minor injuries, said in an interview he had boarded the minibus from Ndirande and the accident took place between 9am and 10am.
He said: “The minibus was moving properly when we suddenly heard a sound as if the tyre had burst and before we knew it, the truck had hit the minibus which now rolled before falling in the drain.”
Khan said he could not recall what happened as he woke up at QECH around noon receiving treatment for the injuries he sustained on the arm, leg and neck.
He said he was given painkillers and has been advised to go back to the hospital if he sees any problems.
Another witness, who refused to give her identity, said the minibus had stopped briefly at the accident spot allegedly to drop a passenger when the truck, which is believed to have gone out of the driver’s control, came in full force and pushed the minibus which rolled into the nearby drain.
Blantyre Police Station spokesperson Elizabeth Divala, in a telephone interview yesterday, confirmed about the accident which she referred to as serious but said the other details as to how many passengers the minibus and truck were each carrying were not available. n
