On Wednesday morning, twelve schoolchildren were injured when their school bus was struck by a train at the Wilton Level Crossing in Mutare.
The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) confirmed the accident and stated that initial investigations indicated the bus driver of the Versatile Academy school bus failed to follow level crossing safety protocols and tried to cross the tracks ahead of the approaching train. The NRZ said:
A bus carrying school children was hit by a train at the Willton Level Crossing in Mutare this morning. Twelve pupils were injured and taken to hospital where they are receiving treatment. Our prayers are with them as they get on the road to recovery.
Preliminary investigations indicate the bus driver failed to follow level crossing rules and tried to beat the train to the level crossing, resulting in the accident.
The accident is a stark reminder to all drivers to exercise extreme caution and strictly adhere to road rules at level crossings.
This latest accident occurred just over a week after a separate incident in Harare, where an AVM bus carrying 66 passengers collided with a train at a railway-level crossing, resulting in one fatality and leaving seven others injured.
The previous accident took place on June 25, 2024, at the intersection of Paisley Road and Lyton Road in Harare, around 4:30 AM.
According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the bus driver failed to stop at the railway crossing, leading to the collision with the train.
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