Three Workers Crushed to Death by Falling Glass Pallet in Harare, Zimbabwe

Three workers were killed in Harare on Wednesday when a three-tonne pallet of glass panels collapsed on them during an offloading operation at a company in the Workington industrial area, police said.

The incident occurred at around midday as eight workers were unloading a consignment from a truck at a local company along Coventry Road. The pallet of glass panels slipped and struck three of the workers, killing them instantly.

National police spokesman Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that three people died on the spot after being struck by the falling pallet. He stated that eight workers were on the truck at the time, and of the five who survived, one was injured and taken to hospital.

Crane operator Muringwa said he believed a lapse in communication was to blame, explaining that he was operating the crane and believed a safety belt was not secured where it should have been. He added that by the time he heard the screams and tried to lift the crate, it was already too late.

Survivor Tanaka Chagonda described the moment the accident happened, saying they were offloading glass panels from the truck when one of the crates slipped and crushed three of their colleagues, calling it a scary experience.

Aleck Muzozo, another worker present at the scene, said he narrowly escaped the same fate, explaining that he was working exactly where the three men died but managed to duck, and the crate only grazed his face. He expressed gratitude for surviving but noted he was not okay, as one of the deceased was his brother.

Phineas Hlanganisa, also a survivor, told ZBC that the scene was chaotic and traumatic, recounting that one moment they were working and the next they heard screams, describing it as a terrible scene.

The accident involved a three-tonne crate of glass panels that collapsed during the offloading operation. Police confirmed the incident took place at a company in Harare’s Workington industrial area.