14 killed, dozens injured in Rwengo bus accident

Sep 18, 2012

Fourteen passengers died and scores injured in a bus accident Tuesday morning at Malongo, along Masaka-Mbarara road.


By E. Ssejjoba, F. Turyakira and G. Musinguzi

Fourteen passengers died and scores injured in a bus accident on Tuesday morning at Malongo, along Masaka-Mbarara road.

Police said the accident occurred in sharp corners of Malongo in Rwengo district about 96 kilometers from Mbarara after a Kisoro-Kampala bound Isuzu bus registration number UAM 937D belonging to Horizon Bus Company swerved off the road, overturned  and burst into flames.  

Simon Peter Wafana, the Southern Region Police commander, said 13 were burnt dead beyond recognition except the driver of the bus only identified as Mugisha and one woman identified as Carolyn died on arrival to Lyantonde Hospital.  Carolyn hails from Kinoni in Rugando Sub-county Mbarara district.

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Police said the accident occurred at about 3.00am but the exact number of the dead was still unclear as eye witnesses said it was still difficult to count the dead since many had been burnt to ashes.

At least 45 passengers out of the 75 on board had been rescued from the wreckage and those with injuries were rushed to various hospitals and health centers including Masaka, Lyantonde, Lwengo and Mulago in Kampala.

 Police fire fighters arrived at the scene and dowsed the fire that broke out immediately the bus overturned.

The scene was still filled with smoke and stench from the burning bodies as traffic along this route temporarily came to a halt.

Police said the driver of the bus was over speeding, lost control in a sharp corner forcing the vehicle to veer off the road.
Rescuers that included the police and villagers were still removing out burnt bodies.

Police were still working to get details from survivors and establish the exact number of the dead but eye witnesses said the death toll could be higher.
 

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