Pregnant woman, baby killed in Ngora accident

ROAD CARNAGE

NGORA - Four people have been confirmed dead in an accident involving two taxis along Ngora- Serere road in Ngora district.

The accident happened Sunday afternoon along Agu bridge when the driver of taxi registration number UAX 958U coming from Pallisa to Serere district lost control and fell into Agu River while trying to give way to the other taxi coming from Serere to Mbale.

Ngora residents at the accident scene. Photo by Charles Achoda.

The Officer-in-Charge of traffic in Ngora, Charles Esimu said the two taxis met at the middle of the bridge and knocked each other causing the accident which claimed four lives on spot.

According to Esimu, bodies of a nine-month-old baby, a seven-month pregnant woman and two men were recovered while 12 survivors were rescued.

By press time, police had not identified names of the deceased and survivors but according to Gilbert Odele an eye witness, the taxi from Pallisa hit the one from Serere in the sideways after failing to brake, causing the accident.

Ngora police rescuing some of the survivors. Photo by Charles Achoda

Meanwhile, the police and local divers in Ngora district are still searching for more bodies in Agu River. Agu bridge connects the districts of Ngora, Serere and Soroti.
 
Upon inspection and investigation, police say the taxi has faulty brakes which could have caused the accident. Police also noticed that the vehicle was over loaded with 20 passengers aboard. 
 
Survivors and bodies of the deceased were taken to Ngora Fredacar hospital for treatment and postmortem respectively. 

Dr John Odiit of Fredacar hospital said the condition of the survivors is stable, but four survivors are on life support.