Two people tragically lost their lives in a harrowing road crash as their vehicle overturned and burst into flames in Kakumiro District on Tuesday.
The incident occurred on the Kakumiro-Kibaale Road, leading to the death of Eden Resort Hotel manager Collins Mugwerwa, the manager of, and Avenue Bar supervisor Sarah Kusiima.
Both facilities are in Kakumiro Town Council but the deceased were traveling in a Mercedes Benz at the time of their death. The pair met their tragic end at around 2am around Mijinga Swamp in Kyakinaka Village, approximately one kilometer from Kakumiro Town.
According to ASP Godwin Mwesigwa, a police officer responsible for traffic in Kakumiro District, the Mercedes Benz veered off the road and flipped, eventually catching fire.
Despite efforts to extinguish the flames, the victims could not be saved due to severe burns. ‘‘The bodies were recovered from the scene and taken to Kakumiro Health Center for postmortem examination,” he said.
Kakumiro Resident District Commissioner Maj David Matovu explained that due to the extent of their burns, samples from their remains were due to be collected and sent to a government laboratory for DNA testing.
‘‘The scene of crime officers are here trying to get samples from the remains of the victims and take them to Wandegeya at the government the analytical laboratory where the experts will identify the victims clearly using DNA. We need to be patient,’’ Matovu added.
Speaking to Monitor, eyewitness Isaac Juuko recounted “hearing loud noise during the night, caused by the vehicle colliding with a stone on the roadside before overturning.”
He and the village secretary attempted to extinguish the burning car using water basins but the intensity of the flames overwhelmed their efforts.
‘‘I heard a loud bang at night and I rushed to come here with our village secretary and we found the Benz burning seriously. We called in the police,’’ Juuko said on Tuesday.
