18 die as truck crashes into Mazabuka Shoprite

EIGHTEEN people died in Mazabuka yesterday after the truck they were on crashed into the Shoprite Checkers building.

The deceased - 10 males, five females and three children - died on the spot after the Fuso Fighter truck ran out of control and rammed into the building around 01:00 hours.

The truck, which was coming from Lusaka, was destined for Monze.

Both Southern Province Police commissioner Mary Chikwanda and Mazabuka acting district commissioner Wilson Siadunka confirmed the deaths in separate interviews.

Chikwanda said the driver of the truck, registration number ACT 2439, identified as Manuel Kabole, who is among the dead, lost control of the vehicle due to speeding and careered off the road before crashing into the Shoprite building.

And Siadunka disclosed that according to authorities at Mazabuka General Hospital, the institution received 17 bodies of the accident victims, while one of the casualties died upon arrival.

Siadunka further disclosed that five of the passengers, who were in a critical condition, had been admitted to the hospital.

He said the hospital was planning to evacuate the five casualties, who sustained fractures, to the University Teaching Hospital for specialist treatment.

Siadunka said the 23 victims were residents of John Laing compound in Lusaka and were travelling to Lochinvar fishing camp in Monze to buy fish.

The bodies of the deceased are in the Mazabuka General Hospital m

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