At local time on August 5, a truck overturned on the N1 National Road in the Lubudi area of Lualaba Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). A heavy-duty truck traveling from Mbuji-Mayi to Lubumbashi suddenly lost control and overturned on a long downhill section 35 kilometers from Lubudi toward Nguba, blocking the entire roadway and bringing this major north-south transportation artery to a complete standstill. People inside the vehicle were injured, cargo was scattered across the road, and fuel continued to leak onto the roadway. The accident occurred in a remote area where large-scale professional rescue equipment was not readily available, making it extremely difficult to clear the obstruction independently. The leaking fuel also posed a potential risk of secondary disasters such as fire.

After receiving a request for assistance from local authorities, the project department for Section 5 of the Mbuji-Mayi–Nguba Road Project on the N1 National Road, undertaken by Sino-Congolese Infrastructure Construction Company (SICO) as the general contractor, immediately activated its emergency response mechanism and organized rescue personnel to rush to the site. Upon arrival, the rescue team immediately set up a cordon, evacuated onlookers, and directed stranded vehicles, while also assisting with the relocation of scattered cargo and closely monitoring the fuel leakage area to eliminate potential ignition hazards. Once safety was ensured, the team operated large excavators and other equipment urgently mobilized to tow and right the overturned vehicle and thoroughly clean the contaminated roadway. Through efficient coordinated operations, all safety hazards at the site were eliminated, and the obstructed section was fully reopened to traffic.

It is reported that the accident occurred on the Mbuji-Mayi–Nguba Road Project. The road is approximately 853 kilometers long, funded by LA SINO-CONGOLAISE DES MINES S.A. (SICOMINES S.A.) and undertaken by Sino-Congolese Infrastructure Construction Company (SICO) as the general contractor. It is a key infrastructure project under the China-DRC “package” cooperation framework, with six sections currently under construction. As a core section of the N1 National Road, the completed route will become an important transportation corridor connecting northern and southern parts of the DRC. Sino-Congolese Infrastructure Construction Company (SICO) stated that it will coordinate and guide all construction teams in continuing to strengthen the bottom line of production safety, regularly conduct road hazard inspections and emergency rescue drills, and continuously improve local emergency response and rescue capabilities. While advancing project construction to high standards and with high quality, the company will proactively fulfill its social responsibilities in areas such as local transportation support and public services, ensure efficient project delivery through concrete actions and a strong sense of responsibility, and contribute actively to infrastructure development and high-quality regional development in the DRC.