Child hospitalised as mother, three others die in Buikwe accident
A crane pulls the wreckage of the vehicles from the scene of the accident. PHOTO BY PHILIP WAFULA
Four people have died on spot after a Kampala-bound trailer carrying cement collided with a Jinja-bound Fuso carrying tomatoes at Luwala Village, Najjembe Sub-county in Buikwe District on Wednesday.
The trailer under registration number UAM 678L/ UAS 846K, was traveling from Tororo to Kampala when it lost control, while the FUSO truck was traveling from Kampala side, towards Jinja.
The FUSO’s registration number is however not yet known, as it was crashed beyond recognition.
The Ssezibwa region police Spokesperson, Ms Hellen Bototo, identified the deceased as Mr Samuel Watua, a Kenyan national and owner of the tomatoes, Mr Mwangi Stephen, also a Kenyan national and driver of the cement truck and Ms Lynette Nabunya Atim, a resident of Buikwe also a teacher at St Stephen Nakatyaba in Buikwe District.
The name of the fourth victim is not yet known, though Vincent Kafeero a worker at Seroma limited confirmed that the unidentified body is for Robert Watuwa, who was driving that trailer.
"We at first thought two people had died but we managed to retrieve two more people from underneath the wreckage,” Ms Butoto said.
"Also, a child believed to be the daughter of the deceased lady was saved and is currently at Kawolo Hospital. We call upon her relatives to get in touch with doctors at the Hospital since the mother has been identified as Lynette Nabunya Atim who died in the accident," she added.
Henry Ssentogo who was the first at the scene said that they managed to save the baby but they could not rescue others because they were stuck inside the wreckage.
“I was the first to reach at the scene and we found the baby outside crying but the mother was already dead. Others bodies were stuck in the car. The two vehicles were speeding,” Mr Ssentongo said.
Ms Butoto, who added that the accident was caused by speeding of both vehicles, asked motorists to exercise caution while driving.
It is alleged that the accident happened at 4:00am on Wednesday as the driver of the trailer was trying to dodge a sugar cane tractor that was crossing the road.
The accident has paralyzed transport on Jinja-Kampala highway for over six hours.
Police are still investigating the cause of the accident.
