By Staff Reporter
HAMMANSKRAAL – Chaos and panic unfolded on Sunday, August 10, when a Zimbabwean cross-border bus, Mzansi Express, caught fire along the N1 near Hammanskraal, outside Pretoria.
With no functional fire extinguisher on board, the driver and passengers were forced to fight the flames using tree branches and buckets of water.
A video of the incident shows thick smoke billowing from the rear wheel area of the bus, while passengers scrambled to contain the blaze. In the footage, some could be seen beating the fire with branches, while others fetched water in buckets and jerrycans.
Amid the frantic efforts, voices of panic filled the air. “Has anyone got a cloth? Give us a cloth so that we can cover this fire, come on!” one man shouted, while another responded, “If we had only just taken our bags, that would’ve been better.” Others could be heard yelling for cloths still inside the bus as the flames grew dangerously close to the tyres.
A fire extinguisher was spotted lying unused on the ground, raising concerns over whether it was in working condition.
It is unclear where the bus was headed, but Mzansi Express is known for operating routes between Zimbabwe and South Africa. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
