Forty-two people are feared dead after a bus headed for South Africa caught fire along the Beitbridge-Bulawayo road in Zimbabwe.
National police spokesperson Charity Charamba told ZBC News that at least 20 more people suffered injuries in the blaze that happened late on Thursday.
Preliminary investigations suggested the fire was caused by the explosion of a gas cylinder which was in the luggage compartment.
One of the passengers, who survived the accident, said they could smell gas on the bus and told the driver whose first reaction was to turn on the lights in the bus.
She said at that moment there was a huge explosion and people were burnt alive.
Eyewitnesses told of the nightmare that followed with people who desperately screamed as they tried to get out.
Police said they would require forensic analysis of the remains to determine the exact number of the dead.
It is the second bus disaster inside two weeks after two buses collided on November 7, killing 47 people.
At least 27 people were admitted at Gwanda District Hospital after suffering burns.
The high cost of gas in Zimbabwe has prompted many Zimbabweans to journey with gas cylinders to neighbouring South Africa for a refill.
Zimbabweans pay an average $10 (bonds)/kg for gas, while the price in South African is roughly five times less at R25/kg.
- African News Agency (ANA)
