A second fuel tanker has exploded several hours after one burst into flames in Katerera, Rubirizi District.
The second explosion happened on Monday morning killing all the manpower on the scene that was trying to retrieve the more that 30 people feared dead on Sunday evening.
According to sources on ground, the latest explosion has been blamed on carelessness of police and poor scene handling.
Rubirizi District Police Commander reportedly among causalities.
Police had earlier said the two tragic accidents that happened over the weekend were due to bad decisions and recklessness drivers.
According to Fred Enanga, had the drivers not sped while overtaking, these accidents would never have been as fatal as they were.
The police mouthpiece’s statement follows two deadly accidents that occurred on Sunday evening in Kyambura Trading centre, Rubirizi District and another in Namutumba District.
In the Rubirizi accident, a fuel tanker from Mbarara lost control and rammed into two commuter taxis and a saloon car, and exploded in flames, killing several people instantly.
Three smaller secondary explosions from the parked vehicles followed and the stream of liquid fire from the fuel also burnt about 25 small shops over a stretch of over 30 metres.
The second tragic accident happened involved a YY bus registration number UAY 852F that had a head-on collision with a commuter taxi, UAV 689X at around 6.40 pm, in Bukonte village, along the Iganga-Namutumba Highway.
This is the second accident within a week involving YY buses with the first at Nakalama in Iganga district claiming the lives of two people died while 42 were injured.
According to Enanga, the taxi driver was overtaking another commuter taxi that was also heading towards Namutumba from Iganga in the process it crashed into the bus in the opposite lane, killing nine passengers instantly, and injured four others critically.
It also claimed the life of a cyclist, who succumbed to the injuries at a nearby clinic, and further injured two other victims on a bodaboda motorcycle registration number UDS 126N. The bodies to the 10 deceased persons were transferred to Iganga Referral Hospital for post mortem examination as well as the 6 injured victim’s better treatment.
However, all the passengers in the bus were not affected by the accident while efforts are already in place to track down the driver who is on the run, to help in investigations.
Enanga said the two separate but tragic incidents call for additional measures by all stakeholders in strengthening road safety campaigns, with stricter penalties to serve as a deterrent.
“This is because most of the crash and collision traffic incidents on our roads primarily occur due to bad decisions by drivers. As Police, we strongly condemn the acts of motorists who put the lives of others in danger due to recklessness,” reads the statement.
He added that further sensitisation and awareness programmes by the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, are ongoing countrywide.
The awareness campaign and operations, is also targeting drunk driving, speeding, distraction, use of seatbelts and driving permits to help prevent such occurrences.
