Five Die as Speeding Truck Crashes in Masindi

Five people have died on the spot while 43 others have sustained severe injuries in a motor accident along the Masindi-Hoima Road.

The accident involving a Fuso truck registration number UBG 689G occurred Saturday morning at around 6a.m at Ikoba village Bujenje subcounty in Masindi.

The Fuso truck was transporting cane cutters belonging to Kinyara Sugar Limited from Kinyamurara village to Rukukura village for sugar cane harvesting. At the time of the accident, the truck was carrying 48 cane cutters.

The deceased persons whose identities are not yet readily available have been picked and taken to Masindi hospital mortuary while the injured have also been evacuated to Masindi general hospital in critical condition.

Julius Kahiira, an eye witness and a resident of Ikoba told Uganda Radio Network that they heard the victims screaming for help after the vehicle overturned several times. He says upon arrival at the accident scene, they found five had died on the spot. 

Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson has confirmed the accident adding that preliminary police investigations indicate that the accident was caused by  speeding and reckless driving.

According to Hakiza, the driver failed to negotiate a sharp corner forcing the vehicle to veer off the road and overturn several times, killing the five on the spot.

He says after the accident, the driver  fled unnoticed to an unknown destination, adding that police is currently  hunting for him.

Caroline Amongin, the public relations officer Kiny ofara sugar limited says the vehicle that was involved in the fatal accident belongs to one of their contractors identified as Blessing Asiimwe who was transporting workers for sugarcane cutting.  

She says they immediately mobilized ambulances that transferred the dead bodies to Masindi hospital while the injured have also been evacuated and are currently admitted at Masindi hospital.

She says they are doing everything possible to reach out to the families of the deceased persons and those of the injured.