Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) has issued a statement following a tragic train-vehicle collision at the Wankoko level crossing in Bugolobi, Kampala, on the evening of Friday, December 19, 2025.
According to URC, the accident occurred at approximately 5:37 PM when a passenger train travelling from Kampala to Namanve/Mukono struck a private Mitsubishi Pajero (registration UBF 582X). The force of the collision reportedly pushed the vehicle about 200 meters from the road.
Casualties and Victims
All four occupants of the vehicle were American nationals affiliated with the NGO Baptist International Missions, Inc. (BIMI). URC confirmed that Savannah Gardner, seated in the co-driver’s seat, died from injuries sustained in the collision.
Her husband, Matthew Gardner, sustained internal injuries and remains hospitalised in stable condition. Their two young children, Jedidiah (4) and Mason (1), were unharmed.
URC Statement on the Incident
In its statement, URC emphasised that the Wankoko crossing was actively manned at the time of the accident. Railway Police officers and URC staff were on site, managing traffic and ensuring the safe passage of the train. The Corporation attributed the collision to careless driving and a failure to observe hand signals from the Railway Police officer.
URC said: “The level crossing was fully operational and traffic on other approaches was halted to allow the train to pass. This tragic incident appears to have resulted from non-compliance with standard safety procedures by the vehicle occupants.”
Investigations Underway
The Corporation has launched an internal review into the circumstances of the collision and is working closely with the Uganda Police Force. URC confirmed that it is committed to supporting authorities in determining all factors that contributed to the accident and to preventing similar tragedies in the future.
URC concluded by expressing condolences to the family of the deceased and reassuring the public that railway safety remains a top priority.
