Eighteen people have died in Mazabuka after the Monze bound Fuso fighter truck they were in rammed into Mazabuka Shoprite checkers building around 01:00 hours on Monday Morning.
The eighteen people including ten males, five females and three children died on the spot.
Both Southern Province Police Commissioner Mary Chikwanda and Mazabuka Acting District Commissioner Wilson Siadunka confirmed the death in separate interviews with ZANIS in Mazabuka.
Ms. Chikwanda says the driver of the Fuso Fighter truck Registration number ACT 2439 identified as Manuel Kabole is also among the dead .
Ms. Chikwanda says the driver of the truck lost control of the vehicle due to over speeding and careered off the road before hitting into Shoprite checkers building.
And Mr. Siadunka has disclosed that according to authorities at Mazabuka General Hospital 17 people were taken to the hospital dead while one passenger died upon arrival at the health institution.
Mr. Siadunka has further disclosed that five other passengers have been admitted to the hospital in a critical condition.
He says the hospital is planning to evacuate the five casualties who sustained broken bones to the University Teaching Hospital for specialist treatment.
Mr. Siadunka has revealed that the 23 passengers on board the Fuso truck all of whom are residents of John Laing compound in Lusaka were travelling to Lochinvar fishing camp in Monze District where they were going to buy fish.
A check by ZANIS at Mazabuka Shoprite checkers found part of the building where the truck managed to stop from completely razed with employees clearing the rabble.
The bodies of the 18 accident victims are laying in Mazabuka General hospital mortuary.