Twin accidents claim 9 lives in Yaounde over the weekend

A total of nine people died in Yaounde last weekend in two separate road accidents. The first took place at Olembe on the outskirts of the capital when seven people, mostly school children, were killed on Friday, December 18, 2015. The incident happened at ‘Olembe Ecole’ at about 3:30 pm. The second was on Saturday, December 19, 2015, at 4 pm in Simbock where two people on a private sports bike were killed after they collided with a vehicle. The man and woman died on the spot after the motor cycle crashed on the bonnet, shattered the windscreen and projected them to land on the tarmac behind the taxi.     

Eyewitness reports say in the Olembe accident, a truck with registration number CE SR 214 A, carrying 35 tonnes of cement, went off track, unearthed an electric pole before killing and wounding people. The truck reportedly suffered a mechanical breakdown on the way to supply cement in the neighbourhood. Reports say the driver jumped out of the truck while the conductor is said to have died on the spot. According to the Gendarmerie ‘Brigade’ in Nkolondom, seven people died on the spot, with five others severely wounded. The wounded were rushed to the Yaounde Central Hospital. Among those who were killed were primary school children from Government Primary School Olembe who had closed for the First Term and were on their way home.

At the scene of the accident on Saturday, December 19, 2015, efforts were being made to clear the ruins. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Anyouzoa Mbida Jules, said the accident equally caused huge material damage. He explained that such accidents are frequent in the area between ‘Olembe Ecole’ and ‘Olembe Echangeur’ due to over speeding. He expressed wish that more speed breaks be constructed on that strip of road in order to reduce the accidents.