Beit Bridge Border Post Temporarily Closed Due to LP Gas Tanker Hazard

Update: 28 July 2025 17:40

Beitbridge Border Closure For LPG Tanker Recovery Postponed Due to Crane Breakdown

The gas transfer operation has been temporarily halted due to a mechanical breakdown of the crane used to lift the LPG tanker. According to the latest communication, cargo operations were scheduled to resume at 17:30 today, while the gas transfer is now scheduled to continue tomorrow morning, once the crane has been repaired. The exact time will be confirmed in due course.

Authorities have assured stakeholders that further updates will be provided as the situation unfolds.

Earlier Report: The Beitbridge Border Post has been temporarily closed this evening following a potentially dangerous situation involving a stranded liquefied petroleum (LP) gas tanker.

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According to officials on the ground, the closure began at 15:30 and is expected to remain in place until 19:00, while emergency teams work to safely transfer gas from the compromised tanker to another unit.

The tanker, which is currently stranded at the Shell garage near the border, has been flagged as a potential explosion hazard.

As a precautionary measure, all operations at the border have been suspended, and authorities have begun evacuating staff from the immediate area.

Read | Trucker shot at Beitbridge border dies in hospital

Traffic officials have been deployed to halt all vehicle movement beyond Matombo, and trucks already at the gate are being cleared where possible. Drivers approaching the border have been advised to return to nearby truck stops until the area is declared safe.

Authorities on the Zimbabwean side have also been requested to stop the flow of traffic towards the border while the gas transfer operation is underway.

This temporary shutdown is aimed at ensuring the safety of all border users and personnel. Motorists and freight operators are urged to avoid the area and await further communication from border authorities.