BCC faulted over slow response to accident

People in the city of Blantyre have faulted the Blantyre City Council (BCC) of being reckless and slow in responding to sudden incidences.

This was revealed on Wednesday after a tree fell on a minibus at Mibawa depot during a rainstorm.

The driver of the bus was left severely injured with other people sustaining different multiple injuries. Six other minibuses were also damaged by the tree.

But onlookers pointed fingers at Blantyre City Council for not showing seriousness in their response.

One of them Steve Chitha told this publication that when they responded to the accident, the city assembly did not have any rescue equipment yet there was need for a chainsaw to cut the branches and rescue those who were pressed by the fallen tree.

“These people are not serious. Their offices are not far from here but they do not have any tools for us to cut the tree and rescue the victims,” said Chitha.

But our reporter noticed that at the scene there were BCC employees who had an axe which they were using to cut some tree branches and there was also a fire vehicle.

Police officers also helped as they rushed to ESCOM offices near Mibawa and borrowed a chainsaw which sped up the removal of branches and the casualties were rushed to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital.

Meanwhile general secretary for the Minibus Owners Association of Malawi Coxley Kamange has advised the council to prune big trees that are in the city to avoid such cases.