Sources told us a group of artisans were working on an electrolyte unit at Sables chemicals plant, when it exploded.
Witnesses heard an immense explosion. The explosion was so powerful, it
rocked the entire plant. Those who attended to the victims describe
seeing a scene of carnage and horror.
Three people were admitted at Popomasi Clinic in Kwekwe and six were
ferried to Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare. A source told us two of the
three admitted in KweKwe were discharged on Monday.
There were plans to airlift those admitted in Harare to South Africa
for specialist treatment. Two of the six were described to be suffering
from life threatening injuries after receiving 90 and 60 percent burns
to their bodies.
The two suffered terrible injuries. Authorities at the plant are
making frantic efforts to transfer them to a specialist burns unit in
Johannesburg. Everyone is just praying for the guys,' our source said.
A senior company executive, Misheck Kachere, promised to give a
detailed report to the media as soon as a preliminary report was ready.
There have been concerns in the last few years that the plant was
losing experienced staff, required to operate the sophisticated
machinery at the company, because of the economic crisis.
The plant manufactures ammonium nitrate fertilizer and produces for
both export and the domestic market. It employs over 520 workers.