48 Dead, Including Children, in Major Traffic Accident: Cause Is Revealed

Several dozen people were killed in a bus crash in Uganda, according to reports.

“The death toll is now at 48 including 16 children,” Red Cross spokeswoman Irene Nakasiita told AFP.

The bus hit a tractor driving with no lights at night, the AFP report said. The crash took place in Kiryandongo, around 140 miles north of the capital, Kampala.

“Evacuation teams are working tirelessly to rescue the injured,” said Ugandan police spokeswoman Emilian Kayima.

The bus first hit the tractor before it hit a truck transporting beer.

Between 2015 and 2017, more than 9,500 people died in road accidents in the country. AFP noted that due to poor road conditions and vehicles, the situation is worsening each year.

“We continue to thank all those that have been working in saving lives plus the Police officers that worked since last evening in service of the people,” the Uganda Police Force tweeted. “Quick recovery to the injured. RIP to the dead.”

Julius Hakiza, a senior police officer in the region, told Africa News that the bus hit the tractor from the rear and then lost control, leading to a head-on collision. Police blamed the crash on the tractor as it was traveling without lights or reflectors. They said, however, that the bus was speeding.

Other details about the crash were not made clear in media reports. Local Ugandan media put the death toll much lower than the Red Cross’ figure.

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