One Dead, Several Injured in Fiery Five-Truck Pile-Up on Danger Hill in Zambia

A devastating road accident involving five trucks has claimed the life of one driver and left others injured on Sunday evening along the Great North Road at the infamous Danger Hill in Mpika District, Muchinga Province.

According to Muchinga Province Police Commissioner Dennis Moola, the incident occurred at around 19:00 hours on August 3, 2025, when a Tanzanian truck driver, whose identity has not yet been established, lost control of his Faw truck due to excessive speed. The vehicle veered off the road and struck another parked truck from behind, triggering a chain-reaction inferno that engulfed multiple vehicles.

The impact ignited the second truck, a Scania carrying fuel, which was parked at the time. The flames quickly spread to three other trucks  including one carrying 640 bags of fertilizer and two copper-laden trucks  resulting in an intense fire that destroyed all five vehicles.

The unidentified driver of the first truck was trapped inside the vehicle and died in the blaze.

Commissioner Moola confirmed that the driver of the second truck sustained bruises to both hands, injuries to the left knee, and general body pain. He was treated as an outpatient at Mpika Urban Clinic.

The drivers of the third and fourth trucks, Ramazin Mupemba (36) and Felix Thomas (28), both from Tanzania, miraculously escaped without injury. Both trucks were parked and loaded with fertilizer and copper respectively, destined for Lusaka and Dar es Salaam.

The driver of the fifth truck, whose age and identity remain unknown, fled the scene after sustaining injuries. Authorities are still working to locate him.

Police have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident, focusing on speeding and unsafe parking practices along the busy highway. The tragic crash has once again raised concerns about road safety on Danger Hill — a well-known blackspot for heavy vehicle accidents.