Five die in Kampala weekend accidents
Nov 30, 2009
FIVE people died and nine others sustained life-threatening injuries in three separate accidents that occurred across Kampala during the weekend.
By Herbert Ssempogo
FIVE people died and nine others sustained life-threatening injuries in three separate accidents that occurred across Kampala during the weekend.
In one of them, a saloon car, whose occupants were allegedly under the influence of alcohol, overturned at about 11:30pm on Saturday night on Queensway.
According to Katwe Police Station chief, Moses Ochieng, the vehicle hit an electricity pole near the flyover before rolling over several times.
An unidentified man died instantly, while another died later at Mulago Hospital. The driver disappeared. “The driver could have been under the influence of alcohol because bottles of Guinness beer were recovered from the vehicle,†Ochieng said yesterday.
Another passenger in the car sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition. The wreckage was towed to the inspectorate of vehicles in Naguru.
Ochieng said according to preliminary investigations, the four men had just returned to Kampala from Masaka where they attended a party.
Three hours earlier, at Nakawa on the Jinja-Kampala Highway, two people died after a truck leaving the city rammed into a commuter taxi heading to Bweyogerere, a Kampala suburb.
In the collision, which occurred at around 8:00pm, eight people sustained grave injuries. According to the acting city traffic chief, James Wakhooli, the truck driver lost control and the huge vehicle hit a motorcycle and later the taxi.
The truck tore the frame of the taxi, overturned it and dragged it several meters, knocking and uprooting a pole in the process. The occupants, who yelled and cried, sustained grave wounds. Residents and pedestrians gathered at the scene to rescue the passengers.
However, some looted charcoal the lorry was carrying and a gang of four men yanked off the battery.
Jinja Road Police station traffic boss, Wabwire, identified the dead as Joseph Byazaire and Ssentongo Kazana, a plumber in the Police’s estates department.
Four people were still unconscious by Sunday morning, said Wabwire. Some of the injured were James Ayo, Claire Ssengoye, Grace Ssembuuya and Charles Owere.
“I attempted to jump out when I saw the truck hurtle towards us but my legs got stuck in one of the seats,†said Owere. His left leg was fractured.
Ssengoye, another survivor at Mulago hospital, said the driver tried to avoid the oncoming lorry but had no space because of the pole.
In a related development, a boda boda rider died when he collided with a vehicle at Kawempe suburb.
The Police said the accident, in which two unidentified people sustained injuries, occurred at 5:00am on Saturday. The deceased’s name was not available.
Accidents are among leading causes of death in the country, particularly during the festive season.
Earlier this month, seven people perished and 30 others were injured in a crash on the Mubende-Fort Portal highway. A total of 2,334 people died in fatal accidents in 2007.
FIVE people died and nine others sustained life-threatening injuries in three separate accidents that occurred across Kampala during the weekend.
In one of them, a saloon car, whose occupants were allegedly under the influence of alcohol, overturned at about 11:30pm on Saturday night on Queensway.
According to Katwe Police Station chief, Moses Ochieng, the vehicle hit an electricity pole near the flyover before rolling over several times.
An unidentified man died instantly, while another died later at Mulago Hospital. The driver disappeared. “The driver could have been under the influence of alcohol because bottles of Guinness beer were recovered from the vehicle,†Ochieng said yesterday.
Another passenger in the car sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition. The wreckage was towed to the inspectorate of vehicles in Naguru.
Ochieng said according to preliminary investigations, the four men had just returned to Kampala from Masaka where they attended a party.
Three hours earlier, at Nakawa on the Jinja-Kampala Highway, two people died after a truck leaving the city rammed into a commuter taxi heading to Bweyogerere, a Kampala suburb.
In the collision, which occurred at around 8:00pm, eight people sustained grave injuries. According to the acting city traffic chief, James Wakhooli, the truck driver lost control and the huge vehicle hit a motorcycle and later the taxi.
The truck tore the frame of the taxi, overturned it and dragged it several meters, knocking and uprooting a pole in the process. The occupants, who yelled and cried, sustained grave wounds. Residents and pedestrians gathered at the scene to rescue the passengers.
However, some looted charcoal the lorry was carrying and a gang of four men yanked off the battery.
Jinja Road Police station traffic boss, Wabwire, identified the dead as Joseph Byazaire and Ssentongo Kazana, a plumber in the Police’s estates department.
Four people were still unconscious by Sunday morning, said Wabwire. Some of the injured were James Ayo, Claire Ssengoye, Grace Ssembuuya and Charles Owere.
“I attempted to jump out when I saw the truck hurtle towards us but my legs got stuck in one of the seats,†said Owere. His left leg was fractured.
Ssengoye, another survivor at Mulago hospital, said the driver tried to avoid the oncoming lorry but had no space because of the pole.
In a related development, a boda boda rider died when he collided with a vehicle at Kawempe suburb.
The Police said the accident, in which two unidentified people sustained injuries, occurred at 5:00am on Saturday. The deceased’s name was not available.
Accidents are among leading causes of death in the country, particularly during the festive season.
Earlier this month, seven people perished and 30 others were injured in a crash on the Mubende-Fort Portal highway. A total of 2,334 people died in fatal accidents in 2007.