12 killed, 26 injured in rail accidents in 2023

Patience Muchemwa

The National Railways of Zimbabwe recorded a total of 12 deaths and 26 injuries of railway accidents for 2023.

In an interview with Zim Now, NRZ spokesperson Andrew Kunambura said most deaths recorded are of people committing suicide.

“Suicides contribute a greater percentage of deaths in tracks while injuries are mostly recorded from teenagers who will be putting on earphones which impairs hearing of the train whistles,” Kunambura said.

In one incident, a woman from Gweru was hit and killed by a locomotive in suspected suicide.

The incident occurred at the Amtec level crossing. Police from Gweru Central Police Station attended the scene.

In a related incident, a 25-year-old man was seriously injured after he was hit by a train while walking along the railway line at Mpopoma Transit Yard in Bulawayo on Sunday.

The man was putting on earphones and did not hear the approaching train. He sustained a broken hand and head injuries.

NRZ also reported an incident of a commuter omnibus carrying passengers, which was hit by a locomotive at the Paisley Road level crossing in Harare after the driver failed to give way to the approaching locomotive.

The driver and all his passengers fled from the scene on foot. The matter is being investigated by the police.

NRZ, continues to urge members of the public and motorists to exercise extreme caution on and around the railway line to avoid loss of life and injuries.

Between 2019 and 2021, the country recorded 47 suspected suicides at railway lines with 38 suspected sucide deaths reported last yera between January and August.