Woman loses leg in freak accident

ISAAC PINIELO
Correspondent | Wednesday October 20, 2010 00:00

According to Station Traffic Officer of Nata police, Inspector Kedibonye Motswakae, the accident happened last Monday at around 7:30am when the woman and her colleagues had just reported for work at the company's workshop which is situated at Mmanxotae Bridge, about 25km north-east of Nata.

He said the front loader machine, which was being driven by a 26-year-old man, had gone to the workshop to load some materials.  As it came out of the workshop, it is alleged, the giant machine lurched forward towards the woman who was in the company of two of her colleagues. 'The other two women managed to escape while one of them was crushed by this machine. The driver claims that the brakes of the machine had failed,' said Inspector Motswakae. The machine allegedly knocked down the woman, crushing her right leg and seriously injuring the other one.

She was rushed to Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital but doctors could not save the right limb. Public relations officer of Nyangabgwe Hospital, Caiphus Gabana has confirmed that there is a woman who is admitted at the hospital after being knocked down by a front loader. He said they managed to operate one leg and failed to save the other one, which was amputated below the knee.

Inspector Motswagole said they are still carrying out investigations to ascertain the cause of the accident. He said the machine has been taken for inspection to find out if it was in good condition at the time of the accident. Meanwhile, information reaching Mmegi is that the machines used by China Jiangxi International at the construction site are seldom serviced which could mean that the brakes of the front loader may not have been working.