Sierra Leone Telegraph: 1 October 2018:
Several soldiers and civilians lost their lives this afternoon, when a military vehicle carrying soldiers attending the funeral of their colleague, lost control and somersaulted along Spur Road in Lumley, the far west of Freetown.
It is not yet clear what caused the accident, but Spur Road is said to be notoriously known for fatal accidents.
Unconfirmed reports put the number of soldiers killed at 7, with more than 6 civilians feared dead or critically injured.
Hundreds of people are killed every year on the roads in Sierra Leone, with speeding – reckless driving and lack of vehicle maintenance very often cited as the most common cause.
This evening there are calls for strict enforcement of road traffic regulations and spot checks of vehicle maintenance certificates by the police.
But with bribery, corruption and lawlessness at the centre of human existence in Sierra Leone, it is almost impossible to expect any improvement anytime soon.
Many of the eyewitnesses at today’s scene of the fatal accident, say that the military truck had careered off the road, ploughing into dozens of pedestrians on the crowded footpath and somersaulted, after its brakes had failed.
Eyewitness accounts say that there were no emergency services on sight for over thirty minutes after the accident, to rescue the injured to hospital as motorists and bystanders performed improvised first-aid. Sierra Leone’s ambulance service is almost non-existent.
May the soul of all those who were killed rest in perfect perpetual peace. This portion of the road must be reconstructed and strict control on vehicle licence enforced. This will easily help to reduce death hazards.
There have always been problems in Sierra Leone mostly caused by the people themselves. When will these catastrophes stop?
The government must take drastic control of all the vehicles including those owned by government and other authorities for their safety.
My heartfelt condolences to our great sacrificing able-military who lost their lives on duty. May God grant them peace and everlasting resting place in paradise.