A tragic incident unfolded in central Zimbabwe on Wednesday afternoon when a minibus transporting schoolchildren burst into flames, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals, according to authorities.
Details of the Incident
The vehicle was carrying 24 children when it caught fire in the city of Gweru. A police statement confirmed that an investigation is underway, but preliminary findings suggest that a jerry can of petrol stored inside the minibus may have intensified the fire.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the number of injured. Local media reports indicate that the driver and conductor were taken to a hospital, and all deceased were schoolchildren. State broadcaster ZBC News aired images of the charred vehicle, noting that some children managed to escape the blaze while others were trapped and perished. Rescue crews and firefighters arrived at the scene.
Context of School Transport in Zimbabwe
Private minibuses and unregulated sedan taxis are commonly used to transport children to schools in Zimbabwe. This accident has reignited concerns about overcrowded vehicles used for school runs in the southern African nation, which has a population of around 15 million.
In February, a cabinet minister reported stopping a minibus carrying 42 schoolchildren, despite its legal capacity of 15 passengers. Road accidents involving buses, minibuses, and unregulated taxis are frequent in Zimbabwe, which has one of Africa's highest traffic fatality rates.
Broader Road Safety Issues
The World Health Organization estimates nearly 30 road deaths per 100,000 people annually in Zimbabwe. Authorities attribute a little over 90% of crashes in the country to human error. Across Africa, road crashes claim an estimated 300,000 lives each year, accounting for about a quarter of the global toll, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The continent, with 1.5 billion people, has the world's highest road fatality rate despite possessing only about 3% of the global vehicle population.
