By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA? –
A ZAMBIAN truck driver has died while another is missing after fire engulfed 48 trucks at Kasumbalesa border.
Five Zambian truck drivers were victims of the inferno that erupted at Whisky Dry Port, about five kilometres from the border on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) side.
Chililabombwe District Commissioner Stuart Chitumbo said the tragic incident happened on Monday around 15:00 hours when a fuel tanker was trying to reverse and in the process hit into a trailer of another truck causing petrol to spill.
He said the spillage came into contact with a blazer causing fire to ignite at the dry port.?Mr Chitumbo said 48 trucks went up in flames and five Zambian drivers were among the affected.
“One Zambian was burnt to death and another went missing while three others sustained burns and were rushed to hospital,” Mr Chitumbo said.
He identified the deceased as Justin Kalenga, 55, of Chelstone in Lusaka and his missing counterpart as Joseph Tembo whose other personal details were not known.
Mr Chitumbo said those who sustained burns were Victor Chakulya, 44, Geoffrey Malikisa, 41, of Chifubu Township in Ndola, and Peara Malaka, 44, of John Laing in Lusaka who was seriously burnt and was taken to Don Bosco Hospital in the DRC where he was in the intensive care unit.
He said none of the 48 burnt trucks were Zambian.
