A Tragic Accident


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Africa » Zambia » Chipata
June 19th 2008
Published: June 19th 2008
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Chipata is in mourning this week.

On Saturday a bus travelling from Chipata to Lusaka travelling at what is thought to be high speed burst a tyre near Nyimba and overturned. Carrying over 20 more passengers than there should have been (over 80 rather than the 60 specified), 28 people were killed and 55 injured (radio this morning). A family of six died, a colleague's brother and his family were hurt and the nephew of one of 'my' Sisters died. The bus driver was reported as having fled the scene and the police are looking for him. Families have been having to visit all the local hospitals along the route to identify their loved ones. The bus company has provided coffins to relatives needing them.

On Sunday and Monday evenings I joined part of the vigil for the nephew at his family's house. There were many people there. Men sat in the garden, screened off from the path, with a fire burning to keep them warm. Down the side of the house friends and relatives put out mattresses and cooked their nsima. We went to the living room at the back of the house which was filled with women paying their respects to the female family members. We sat on the floor for about an hour each night before expressing our condolences and most of us leaving. Some Sisters stayed to watch with the family over night each night- there were some mattresses on the floor but it can't have been comfortable. The funeral was on Tuesday.

http://www.znbc.co.zm/media/news/viewnews.cgi?category=13&id=1213711858
http://www.individual.com/story.php?story=84322261


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