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Two mourners die in Samfya road accident
Samfya, March 11, 2013, ZANIS—Two people have died and 26
others sustained injuries after a lorry carrying them from a burial threw them off its trailer on the Mansa-Samfya road.
The accident happened yesterday at Makasa primary school area in Samfya district.
The accident victims were part of mourners returning from a burial
program at Musaila area some 10 kilometers from the Boma.
A Samfya district medical office representative Mateyo Moyo
confirmed to ZANIS that Samfya stage two clinic had received
close to 30 accident victims seven of whom had been referred to Mansa
General Hospital for treatment.
Mr. Moyo identified one of the deceased as Daniel Mwelwa who was a brought in dead case while, Mwape Kabila died at the health facility while pending referral to Mansa general hospital.
Mr. Moyo said health personnel at the boma had been mobilized to
attend to the accident victims.
A check by ZANIS at the clinic found hundreds of people looking out
for relatives and friends caught up in the accident.
Witness account talked to said the accident happened when the Mercedes Benz truck
registration ABT 9858 carrying mourners carried-off the road when the driver
Bernard Chanda 38, who is on the run, tried to
avoid hitting into a car which was ahead of the truck.
The witnesses alleged that Chanda owing to over-speeding
caused the accident while he was overtaking three vehicles and in an
attempt to maneuver, the latches holding the sides of the trailer
snapped open at the bulk of the overloaded mourners.
Consequently, the accident victims, who were part of the over 80
mourners fell off and crashed to the tarmac sustaining injuries.
And Samfya District Commissioner Royd Chakaba described the accident
as a disaster which could have been avoided if traffic rules were
fully observed by the driver who fled the scene and is being sought
after by police.
Mr. Chakaba said government is concerned at fatalities that are being
recorded through road traffic accidents hence the need for concerted
efforts aimed at promoting safe driving and ridding the roads of
nuisance driving practices as they were leading to deaths in most
cases.
Mr. Chakaba said the call for safe and courteous driving practices
were not a confinement of urban areas only but include rural areas
such as Samfya district where fatal accidents equally occur, hence the
need for all motorists to heed to the call.
ENDS/DN/CSB/ZANIS…………………………….DRY
