Train driver recounts collision with bus that injured six

“I sounded the horn. The bus was approaching slowly, but the driver did not seem to hear it. I applied the brakes, but when we reached the middle of the railway crossing, we collided and were thrown off.” That is how Twarib Mrope, the driver of a small railway trolley, described a collision with an African Raha bus at Fela, Misungwi District, Mwanza Region, on October 15, 2026, which left six passengers injured. Mrope said the accident occurred at about 1pm as he travelled to collect construction materials. When he reached the railway crossing, he saw the bus approaching the tracks. He said he sounded the horn and slowed down, but the bus continued moving until the two vehicles collided at the crossing. “I cannot understand what the bus driver was doing because he was moving very slowly, just as I was. If I had been travelling at high speed, many people would have been seriously injured. It would have been a much bigger accident,” he said. “I do not know whether he was distracted by something, perhaps a phone or something else. He was moving slowly, but if I had been travelling fast, the accident would have been much worse.” Mrope urged motorists to exercise caution when approaching railway crossings, noting that trains cannot stop suddenly like ordinary vehicles. The bus was carrying 22 passengers from Nyegezi Main Bus Terminal in Mwanza city to Mara Region via Usagara and Kisesa. Mwanza Regional Police Commander Wilbrod Mutafungwa said the bus driver failed to take the necessary precautions when approaching the railway crossing. “Through negligence and failure to exercise caution, the driver did not stop and proceeded across the railway crossing. The trolley struck the middle of the bus, pushing it aside,” he said. Mr Mutafungwa said six people were injured and taken to Kisesa Hospital for treatment, with one later transferred to Bugando Hospital for further medical attention. “Generally, their condition is not serious. They sustained injuries, while one suffered severe shock, but they are receiving treatment,” he said. He added that the bus driver fled the scene after the accident and police were searching for him to ensure he was arrested and held accountable under the law. The police commander urged motorists to obey road signs, particularly in areas where construction activities are under way and railway lines cross roads. “Drivers must exercise caution and respect the signs installed in these areas,” he said. Misungwi District Commissioner Johari Samizi said the accident highlighted motorists’ failure to take adequate precautions when approaching railway crossings. “Traffic regulations require drivers approaching a railway crossing to slow down and check that it is safe on both sides before proceeding,” she said. She urged all road users, including pedestrians and motor vehicle operators, to observe safety signs and exercise sound judgement to prevent avoidable accidents. “Beyond observing road signs, road users must use their judgement and common sense to prevent accidents that can be avoided,” she said.