Chimoio — At least 20 people lost their lives and three were injured on Thursday afternoon, following a road accident on National Highway number seven (EN7), in the district of Barue, in the central Mozambican province of Manica.

The accident was a collision between vehicles, involving a passenger car and a long-distance truck.

According to the Báruè district administrator, David Franque, who confirmed the case, "the accident was caused by poor visibility due to uncontrolled bush fires on the verges of National Highway Number Seven.'

In the crash, he explained, the lorry overturned, causing the immediate death of 20 people and the injury of three others.

"The lorry was parked and the driver of the passenger car, due to the smoke caused by the flames, lost control of the vehicle which crashed into the lorry which then overturned. We found 20 fatalities at the scene and the bodies were taken to the Catandica District Hospital morgue', said Franque, in a brief telephone conversation with AIM.

"The passenger car burned and some of the passengers were charred to death. We tried to help the passengers, but it was almost in vain because the flames were so intense. It was a head-on collision. Only three people made it out alive and they are being treated at Catandica District Hospital', said Franque.

"We are currently working on identifying the victims and communicating with their families. Our appeal is for drivers to be more careful when they hit the road. Furthermore, people should not start fires on the public highway without obeying the rules, as this can endanger the lives of road users', he said.

This is the second accident in Manica province this year with a high death toll. The first occurred in the town of Gondola, where nine people lost their lives and 15 were injured after a lorry crashed near a market.