2025 Kabangwe Power Tools bus fire
| |
| Power Tools bus after the fire | |
| Date | 29 August 2025 |
|---|---|
| Time | 04:00 hours |
| Location | Great North Road, Kabangwe area, Lusaka, Zambia |
| Type | Vehicle fire |
| Cause | Suspected mechanical fault (burning airbags) |
| Operator | |
| Vehicles | 1 (Power Tools bus) |
| Passengers | 76 (reported) |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Property damage | |
| Investigations | |
The 2025 Kabangwe Power Tools bus fire was a public service bus incident that occurred on 29 August 2025 along the Great North Road in Kabangwe, Lusaka compound. A bus operated by Power Tools Company and driven by Bellington Mwape, aged 38, caught fire in the early hours of the morning. No fatalities or injuries were reported as all passengers were safely evacuated before the vehicle was engulfed by flames.
Incident
At about 04:00 hours, a Zhongtong/Marcopolo bus, registration number AIB 8569, belonging to Power Tools Company, departed from Intercity Bus Terminus in Lusaka en route to Kitwe and Nakonde with an estimated 76 passengers on board.
According to reports, upon reaching Chaisa Compound along the Great North Road, the driver noticed a strange smell and smoke coming from the engine. He immediately stopped at Chaisa Bus Stop and instructed all passengers to disembark for safety. Shortly thereafter, he attempted to drive the vehicle towards a nearby workshop for inspection. However, the bus suddenly caught fire due to a suspected mechanical fault, believed to involve burning airbags.
The driver managed to jump off the moving vehicle as it rolled to the eastern side of the road and was completely gutted by fire. The Lusaka City Council (LCC) Fire Brigade, which received an emergency call at 04:15 hours, arrived at the scene within five minutes but the bus was already destroyed.
Response
Authorities, including the Zambia Police Service and Lusaka City Council, commended the driver for his quick thinking and alertness in ensuring all passengers were evacuated before the fire intensified. Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga confirmed that investigations were underway to establish the exact cause of the fire.
LCC Assistant Public Relations Manager Bulumba Nyambe also confirmed the incident, noting that the swift actions of the driver and other individuals at the scene prevented any loss of life.
Aftermath
The bus was completely destroyed by the fire, but no casualties were recorded. The incident drew public attention to safety procedures in Zambia’s long-distance passenger transport sector, as well as the role of driver vigilance in preventing disasters.
See also
References
- Zambia Police Service statement, 29 August 2025.
- Lusaka City Council public statement, 29 August 2025.
- Media reports on the Kabangwe bus fire, 29 August 2025.
