Horror bus fire kills two
2003-07-09 14:23
Polokwane - Two children died and 64 passengers were burnt when a busload of Zimbabweans caught fire along the N1 highway in Limpopo early on Wednesday morning.
The bus carrying mostly hawkers from the Zimbabwean capital Harare to Gauteng, caught alight 30km from Polokwane about 04:50.
"Children tried to jump out of windows before the driver could bring the bus to a complete halt after it caught fire," said Central police spokesperson, Inspector Ntobeng Phala.
When the bus stopped, the passengers scrambled to the exits, while some jumped out of windows to escape the flames.
Two children, a boy and a girl aged between 10 and 15 years burnt to death in the fire.
Paramedics rushed 64 people to Polokwane provincial hospital - the death toll might rise as a result of the seriousness of some of the injuries.
The 40-year-old driver escaped uninjured.
The bus belongs to the Munenzwa bus company in Zimbabwe and police have yet to determine the cause of the fire.
At the moment, two cases of culpable homicide have been registered with the Polokwane police. - African Eye News Service