A road accident in western Kenya killed at least 48 people on Friday night when a truck rammed into other vehicles and pedestrians at a busy intersection, local police said.
“At this point we can confirm that 48 people are dead and we estimate that one or two more are trapped in the truck,” Police Commander Geoffrey Mayek told AFP. He also reported that at least 30 injured people were taken to nearby hospitals.
The collision occurred around 18:30 local time (15:30 GMT) on the highway connecting the western cities of Kericho and Nakuru at a busy intersection.
AFP
The truck en route to Kericho “lost control, hitting eight vehicles, several motorcycles, people on the side of the road and others doing other things,” said Tom Mboya Odero, commander of the Rift Valley regional police, located in the west of the country .
Collins Kipkoech, chief physician at Kericho County Hospital, said he received 45 bodies but others were also transported to separate facilities. “And the rescue continues,” he added.
The Kenya Red Cross, which dispatched ambulances and rescue workers to the scene of the accident, said heavy rain was hampering rescue operations.
Several local television stations showed images of crashed vehicles.
AFP
“The truck drove at full speed and honked its horn,” said a witness to the accident, Maureen Jepkoech. “He tried to dodge several vehicles before finding himself in the middle of the market.”
“I heard people say the vehicle lost its brakes. But I don’t know if that was the case,” she added.
Transport Minister Kipchumba Murkomen tweeted that an investigation would be launched to determine the causes of the accident after the rescue operations were completed.
“My heart is broken”
“The accident happened instantly,” said another witness, Joel Rotich. “Many did not have time to flee.”
“There was a lot of confusion: people were screaming and running around,” he added.
Kenyan President William Ruto tweeted his condolences to the families of the victims. “It is disturbing to note that among the dead are some young people who were promised a bright future and merchants going about their daily chores,” he noted on the social network.
“My heart is broken,” Kericho County Gov. Erick Mutai wrote on Facebook. It is “a dark time for the people of Kericho, a mountainous region known for its vast tea plantations,” he added.
According to the country’s National Transport and Safety Agency, 4,690 people died in road accidents in Kenya last year.
Traffic accidents are common in Africa. A bus-truck collision killed 20 people in Senegal in January, a week after another accident killed more than 40 people.