Ten critically injured as truck rams into Gulu fuel station

Police in Gulu City are hunting for the driver of a Fuso truck that Tuesday morning lost control and rammed into a fuel station along the Gulu-Juba Highway.

Eyewitnesses say the unidentified driver, who was carrying market vendors to Keyo market in Amuru District, speedily moved past two other trucks to arrive at Blessed Fuel Station before others to fuel his vehicle.

Eyewitness Raymond Rackara told Monitor that the vehicle lost control after it failed to brake and negotiate the corner at Customs Corner Roundabout, adjacent to the fuel station.

“The vendors cheered the driver once the truck went past the two others but it could not brake. For fear that he would hit boda-boda riders and other roadside vendors at Customs Corner Centre, he risked and forcefully turned into the fuel station,” Rackara said.

He added: “The moment it forcefully negotiated into the station, both wheels on the driver’s side were already mid-air and the vehicle skidded and fell on one of the pumps.” 

At least 10 vendors were critically injured and rushed to Lacor Hospital for medical attention following the incident.

“It was luck that three ambulances quickly responded and evacuated the injured traders but the driver, whom we are yet to identify, is on the run,” Yusuf Ishak, a traffic officer attached to Gulu Central Police station said.

Ishak explained that while the truck was in dangerous mechanical condition, the driver caused the accident out of recklessness.

“We are looking for him because we have always sensitized and cautioned these truck drivers who ferry traders to distant markets to desist from overloading and overspeeding, if we fail to get him today, we will summon the vehicle owner to help us find him,” Mr Ishak said.

Meanwhile, the truck was towed and parked at Gulu Central Police Station by the time of filing this report.

When contacted to establish the particulars of the injured traders, the authorities of Lacor Hospital said the traders were still undergoing emergency care with information about them yet to be filed by press time.