Zimbabwe: 42 Passengers Killed in Bus Inferno

At least 42 people have been confirmed dead in Zimbabwe after a suspected gas tank exploded on the bus they were travelling in on Thursday night.

According to the police and local media publications, the bus was driving down the Bulawayo-Beitbridge highway in Gwanda district at around midnight, about 550 kilometres south of the capital, Harare.

A gas tank reportedly belonging to one of the passengers exploded, causing a fire to break out inside the bus.

The Zimbabwe Red Cross – who was called out to the accident scene – uploaded photos to Twitter showing the remains of the bus that was completely incinerated.

Speaking to a media outlet, police spokesperson Charity Charamba added that more than 20 others were injured, some with severe burns, in the incident. They are currently being treated at Gwanda Hospital.

The accident comes after 47 people were killed when two buses collided on a road between Harare and the eastern town of Rusape last week.