16 dead, scores injured as bus rams into stationary trailer in Kampala-Gulu highway crash

At least 16 people have been confirmed dead and scores critically injured after a bus rammed into a stationary trailer along the Kampala-Gulu highway.

The  accident happened on Thursday night at Adebe trading centre near corner Kamdini.

“It's alleged that Bus Registration Number UAT 259P which belongs to Roblyn bus company was traveling from Kampala to Gulu rammed  into a stationary trailer registration number UAZ 381A/UBD 318C at around midnight  along Kampala-Gulu highway, allegedly the trailer was loading at Adebe trading center just one kilometer to corner Kamdini check point,” Patrick Jimmy Okema, the North Kyoga police spokesperson said.

According to eyewitnesses, the bus hit a trailer parked at the roadside offloading cassava ripping through the left side of the bus with all passengers on that side affected by the accident.

The North Kyoga police spokesperson  noted that on receiving information about the accident, police rushed to the scene and 11 people were confirmed dead at the scene whereas four others died in hospital and several other victims rushed to Atapara hospital in critical condition.

A statement by the Uganda Red Cross says the accident scene was a beehive of activities as responders tried to save the situation with several ambulances from Red Cross, police, police van, private ambulance and a government ambulance all deployed to save the lives of the injured.

Okema said another body was recovered from  the wreckage this morning.

“The cause of the accident is yet to be established but preliminary findings indicate wrong parking by the trailer driver with no warning signs. The dead bodies have been conveyed to to Anyeke Health IV pending postmortem.”