By Our Reporter
A bus ferrying Anglican Church members has been burnt to ashes after catching fire.
A police report indicates the bus was ferrying 65 people when it caught fire on the main highway.
Police authorities confirmed that eight people died on the spot, while many others sustained severe injuries.
Zimbabwe police spokesperson Paul Nyathi disclosed that eight people were burned beyond recognition.
Nyathi pointed out that six of those who died have been identified, but two are still missing.
The police boss also said over 50 people were injured, with 14 rushed to various hospitals for treatment.
“We were unable to identify who exactly died, and DNA should be carried out first. Two people are also missing,” Nyathi said.
Preliminary investigations indicate some passengers alerted the driver after noticing smoke from the engine.
When the driver stopped to check the cause of the smoke, a fire came out of the engine and engulfed the whole bus.
“Investigations by the police have established that the bus caught fire after some passengers had alerted the driver that smoke was coming out of the engine. As a result, the driver stopped the bus to investigate the source of the smoke. Subsequently, a ball of fire came out of the engine and engulfed the whole bus after the driver had opened the engine cover,” the police stated.
Police further stated that the driver and 57 passengers managed to escape from the burning bus through the door and emergency exits.
The churchgoers were driving back to Manicaland province after attending the Bernard Mizeki Annual Festival in Marondera, which usually brings together over 20,000 congregants annually.
In a statement over the incident, Reverend Edwin Selemani of the Anglican Church wished those injured a quick recovery.
“Healing to the injured and comfort to the bereaved. May God grant rest to the souls of the departed,” he said.
In Kenya, a bus ferrying passengers to Mombasa was burned to ashes after catching fire.
The Tahmeed bus burst into flames just before Voi town along the Nairobi Mombasa Highway.
Nation reported that 42 passengers were aboard the bus at the time of the incident.
