Five die in Apac truck accident

Jan 13, 2008

A Total of five people died and over 100 were seriously injured when their fuso lorry overturned in Apac district on the Lira- Kampala highway. The accident occurred at 9:30pm at Apii, Ayer sub-county on Saturday.

By James Oloch

A Total of five people died and over 100 were seriously injured when their fuso lorry overturned in Apac district on the Lira- Kampala highway. The accident occurred at 9:30pm at Apii, Ayer sub-county on Saturday.

Over 70 victims were admitted to Lira Hospital and health centres in Lira, Apac and Oyam districts. According to medical officials, 20 victims are in coma.

Two people died on the spot, while others lost their lives in various hospitals where they had been rushed for treatment. The Police identified them as Sophia Auma and Concy. An unidentified child also died at Lira Medical Centre.

A survivor, the Rev. Canon Alfred Enin, said the driver was trying to over-take a taxi but he lost control.

The driver of the fuso lorry, carrying over 150 passengers, lost control and overturned the vehicle, the Police said yesterday.

Lira district Police chief, Raymond Otim, said the passengers were coming from a Christian convention in Boroboro and the Anglican Archbishop, Luke Orombi, was the chief guest. They were heading to Acaba in Oyam district, Otim added.

He blamed the accident on speeding and over-loading.

International charity organisations like the Red Cross Society, the United Nations International Education Children’s Fund and the World Food Programme, rushed to the aid of the victims and donated to them a number of items.

The accident comes as the country walks out of the festive season, during which scores of people died in road accidents.

In one of them, two sub-county chairpersons and a policeman died on January 5 when a bus overturned on the Fort Portal-Kampala highway.

The three were among several passengers aboard a Kaliita bus when tragedy struck between Kyenjojo and Mubende at 9:00am.

In another one, seven people from the same family perished in Busembatia after crushing into a train.

The accident occurred when a salon car rammed into a train at a railway crossing on the Iganga-Tirinyi highway at Butongole.

The deceased were travelling from Mbale after attending a family function.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});