A heavy downpour proved fatal for three people who were buried alive under Kiyoora stone quarry in Bubare sub-county, Rubanda district, on Saturday afternoon.
The victims, residents of Karandagasi village, Kitumba sub-county in Kabale district, were seeking shelter from the rain when the quarry collapsed, leaving two dead and one critically injured.
The deceased were identified as Jonh Bosco Rwabyooma and Andrew Magara, while Ambrose Kamugisha was rushed to Kabale Regional Referral hospital.
According to witnesses, the victims lit a fire under the quarry to keep warm when the incident happened. Florence Tumwebaze and Julius Twesigomwe, who managed to escape unhurt, recounted seeing the quarry burying the victims.
“They were only able to retrieve Rwabyooma from the soil and stones using hoes and spades,” Tumwebaze said.
Local authorities, including Kabale and Rubanda district officials, arrived an hour later with road equipment to retrieve the bodies, which angered locals who accused them of delay.
Godfrey Nyakahuma, Kabale resident district commissioner, said that the two district authorities would soon hold a joint security meeting to develop measures to protect people at the quarry from dying under similar circumstances.
The deceased’s bodies were taken to Kabale Regional Referral hospital for postmortem.
The tragic incident highlights the need for proper safety measures in stone quarries, particularly during heavy rainfall.
