Writes Leo Odera Omolo
TWENTY people died and 15 were injured when a KK bus from Koboko district collided with a fuel truck in Nwoya district yesterday afternoon.
A child survivor walks out of the wrecked bus as mesmerised rescuers halt their work at Wii-Anaka yesterday
The incident, blamed on poor visibility, took place at midday at Wii-Anaka in Purongo sub-county, about 67km from the Karuma–Gulu junction.
Onlookers cried as the Police cut bodies out of the wreckage.
The Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, interrupted his address to the media on security guidelines for today’s nomination of presidential candidates to announce the tragedy.
“Sadly, I have to announce to the public the nasty accident on the Karuma-Pakwach road. So far 20 people have died, 17 on the spot,” Kayihura said. “The cause of the accident was thick smoke from the nearby burning bush,” he added.
According to Moses Okello, the Nwoya district Police commander, the injured were taken to Anaka Hospital, while the dead were taken to Pachwach Health Centre IV for identification.
“There was too much smoke that covered the road and both drivers could not see well,” explained Okello.
He added that the driver of the bus died on the spot, while the one for the fuel tanker was taken to Pachwach Health Centre with injuries.
By press time, the body of the turnboy of the fuel tanker was still stuck in the co-driver’s seat.
According to an official from the bus company, the bus left Koboko with only 20 passengers but loaded more in Arua, Nebbi and Pachwach.
The northern regional Police commander, Martin Amoru, said: “It was a combination of the smoke from the bush fire and over-speeding by the bus driver that caused the accident.”
The scene of the accident was littered with broken motor parts, blood and broken glasses.
Traffic flow on the highway was temporarily interrupted as the Police and fire fighters struggled to put out a fire and clear the road.
Passengers travelling on the road described the accident as shocking.
Ends