Kampala - At least 20 people died after a brake failure caused an overcrowded bus to crash into a row of taxis late Wednesday in Kampala.

The brakes failed as the bus was edging up an incline. The driver lost control of the vehicle and it rolled down the road, colliding with at least 15 taxis and a few other vehicles.

The death toll could be much higher and many injured passengers were rushed to hospital, Central Broadcasting Service radio reported.

Such accidents are common in Uganda, where vehicles are often overloaded or overcrowded and poorly maintained. (dpa)