Eight dead, scores injured as truck carrying vendors rams into building
What you need to know:
- Ms Faridah Nampiima, the traffic police spokesperson said that the injured people were rushed to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital to receive medical treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were taken to the mortuary for post-mortem.
At least eight people have been confirmed dead and scores critically injured after a Mitsubishi Fuso Canter truck carrying over 40 vendors to Gulu Main Market swerved off the road and knocked the building.
The accident happened on Monday at around 9.30PM behind Cynibel Supermarket, along Opwonya-Walter Road in Gulu City.
“He passed me near the washing bay at a terrible speed yet he was approaching the sharp corner and he failed to navigate it thus losing control before entering the nearby building,” a boda boda rider narrated.
Ms Betty Aol Ochan, the Gulu City Woman MP told the Monitor that eight people were feared dead as many were critically injured.
“It’s a tragic incident, four people died on the spot, two died while on Ambulance and two died in the hospital. It is a sad moment for Gulu people and Uganda at large. The travellers should always demand that the driver be sober while driving, a drunken driver should not drive a vehicle,” she said.
She also advised the market vendors to avoid traveling on the same car that transports their luggage because it is not licenced to carry passengers.
Ms Jennifer Piloya, one of the market vendors told the Monitor that the driver is a renowned drug addict and has had numerous accidents since he started driving
“The same vehicle has had three accidents in the past and this fourth time is the one that has claimed the lives of people like this. I am only lucky I didn’t go to the market on Monday, otherwise I would be either among the dead or injured,” she said.
Ms Faridah Nampiima, the traffic police spokesperson said that the injured people were rushed to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital to receive medical treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were taken to the mortuary for post-mortem.
She said the process to identify both the deceased and the injured is ongoing and the ill-fated vehicle has been taken to Gulu CPS for IOV inspection as investigations for the cause of the accident continue.
