In the early morning of August 5th, a tragic multi-vehicle collision occurred on the Yaounde-Douala road near Pouma, in the Sanaga-Maritime department of the Littoral region. The accident involved three vehicles and resulted in a devastating fire, claiming the life of one passenger and leaving several others injured. The injured were swiftly transported to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.
This incident marks the second major accident on this road within a 24-hour span. On August 4th, the Rector of the University of Douala, Professor Lagloire Ondoa, narrowly survived a severe crash. The University’s Secretary General, Professor Henri Désiré Modi Koko Bebey, confirmed on the same day that Professor Ondoa was quickly taken to Laquintinie Hospital in Douala and is now out of danger.
The frequency of accidents on the N3 Douala-Yaounde trunk road is alarmingly high, particularly during the holiday season. This stretch has witnessed a significant number of fatalities in recent months. The ongoing construction of the motorway between Yaoundé, the political capital, and Douala, the economic capital of Cameroon, is expected to substantially reduce accidents once completed. However, until the project is finished, the safety of travellers on this critical route remains a serious concern.
At the time of this report, it is not yet clear how many people were injured in the second accident, while it was confirmed that the one involving Prof. Lagloire Ondoa was a near-fatal miss.
This is a developing story, and more information will be provided as soon as we receive it.
