4 dead, 50 injured in road accident along Kasungu

4 dead, 50 injured in road accident along Kasungu, Image: facebook
4 dead, 50 injured in road accident along Kasungu, Image: facebook

Malawi: Four people, including a two-year old boy, have lost their life in a road accident which happened on Saturday in Kasungu. The vehicles that were involved in the accident included a lorry, and a passenger vehicle.

The police Force has confirmed that the accident happened in the evening hours of Saturday at Camel Trading Centre along the M1 Road in Kasungu. The Police force of the district was informed regarding the road accident.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Joseph Kachikho has identified the two-year-old child as Isaac Phiri. The other victims have been identified as 32 year old Thokozani Foster and Blessings Kaphiza.

The police force has shared that one other man yet to be identified were pronounced dead upon arrival at Kasungu District Hospital. According to police, the accident involved a Mitsubishi Canter registration number BZ 8931.

The vehicle was being driven by Jekapu Mpanang’ombe and  the other vehicle, a Toyota Voxy registration number PE 3189, which was being driven by James Mtendere.

“Mtendere was driving from the direction of Kasungu heading towards Lilongwe with passengers on board and upon reaching the said place, he started overtaking an unknown rider and in the process, collided head on with the Mitsubishi Canter which was coming from the opposite direction with 48 passengers on board,” said Kachikho in a statement.

He said the people in the lorry were coming from a funeral in Dowa.

“As a result of the impact, the four passengers, two from each vehicle, were pronounced dead upon arrival at Kasungu District Hospital, while four other male passengers sustained head and internal injuries and are admitted at the facility,” said Kachikho.

At least 50 people escaped with various injuries and were treated as outpatients, police say.

Meanwhile, the police in the district have advised road users to adhere to all road traffic rules and regulations to prevent accidents.