18 die in truck and bus collisions in Zimbabwe

18 die in Zimbabwe bus crash

HARARE, Zimbabwe — Police in Zimbabwe say 18 people have died and 30 have been seriously injured in a triple highway accident involving two buses and a truck.

Police at the scene about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of Harare reported the first bus rammed into a stationary truck and veered off the highway early Sunday, followed seconds later by a second bus colliding with the same truck. Thirteen people died on the main highway to the city of Bulawayo and five died during emergency treatment later.

Bus accidents, common in Zimbabwe, are blamed on speeding, poor maintenance and shortages of tires and spare parts, including vehicle lights, in the ailing economy. At least 200 people have died in bus crashes this year.