One female passenger has died and several people have sustained injuries after a bus carrying Mwebaze High School learners collided with a train in Mukono district.
The crash occurred at about 6:45 am on Friday in Namumira-Bukasa village, Nakisunga sub-county, along Katosi Road.
The learners were travelling from their school in Kakiri to Jinja district for an educational trip.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Rachel Kawala said preliminary investigations showed that the bus was crossing the railway line when an approaching train struck it.
Police officers and emergency responders evacuated the injured passengers to Mukono General Referral Hospital and other nearby health facilities.
Authorities transferred the deceased passenger’s body to the hospital mortuary for a postmortem examination.
Kawala said police had secured the crash scene and opened investigations into the circumstances surrounding the collision.
She said police would release further information after investigators verify the available evidence.
URC says driver ignored stop signal
The Uganda Railways Corporation said a railway police officer was controlling the crossing when the crash occurred.
According to URC, the officer signalled the school bus driver to stop before the train reached the crossing.
However, the corporation alleged that the driver ignored the warning and continued onto the railway line before the train struck the bus.
Investigators have not yet released a final report establishing responsibility for the crash.
Witnesses describe distressed learners
Residents who helped rescue passengers said several learners appeared visibly distressed after the collision.
Some witnesses also reported that learners had raised concerns about the driver’s conduct before the crash.
According to the residents, some students alleged that the driver had been driving recklessly and appeared fatigued.
Police had not independently confirmed those allegations by the time of the initial report.
The investigation is expected to establish the condition of the vehicles, the actions of the driver and the events leading to the collision.