Nine perish in diverse accidents in Fako and Meme

The unfortunate incidents occurred over the weekend in Fako and Meme Divisions.

The just-ended weekend was very gloomy in the South West Region following three separate unfortunate incidents that led to the death of at least eight persons.

Two fatal road accidents occurred separately on Saturday, January 10, 2015, in Ediki, a locality along the Buea- Kumba highway. This left five persons dead; while the other in Dibanda (Mile 14) along the Buea-Mutengene road claimed three lives.

The Dibanda accident, according to eye witness accounts, involved an 18-seat bus and a small passenger car (‘clando’) that collided head on with one another, leaving three persons dead; amongst them the two drivers.

The injured were rushed to the Buea Regional Hospital for treatment while one critical case was transported to Douala for emergency medical attention. Meanwhile, the mortal remains of the two drivers and a passenger, whose names we could not get by press time, were kept in the mortuary of the same hospital.

On the other hand, the population of Bolifamba, a locality in Buea Sub-division, are yet to come to terms with the passing away of 65-year-old Emmanuel Kweta, who was roasted in a fire outbreak in the night of January 11, 2015.

The inferno, whose cause is yet to be determined, razed to ashes an eight-bed room wooden apartment at Mile 16 Bolifamba. According to the house owner, Asoka Tamo Zachues, the fire incident started between 11:30 p.m. and 12 midnight. The victim is said to have alerted his children about the fire, but stayed back to look for his documents before the room was completely covered by smoke.

The building also housed a motor spare parts shop and a provision shop which all got burnt by the flames. Attempts by the locals of Bolifamba to stop the wild flames were futile as it consumed one person and the entire content of the building which the landlord estimates at about FCFA 65 million.

By press time, the remains of the 65-year-old victim were still lying at the site while arrangements were being made for them to be buried. Forces of Law and order and the Buea Council executive were spotted at the scene this Monday morning. This is the second fire incident in Dibanda in less than three months.