Ten perish, 18 injured in Salgaa accident involving six vehicles

By Steve Mkawale and Leonard Kulei

Nakuru, Kenya: Ten people died on Sunday and 18 others seriously injured in a grisly road accident along the busy Nakuru-Eldoret highway.

The 3pm accident involving a lorry ferrying maize to Mombasa and five other vehicles happened at the notorious Salgaa black spot.

According to police and witnesses, the lorry rammed onto three vehicles before colliding head on with another truck and a saloon car coming from the opposite direction after its brakes failed.

Rongai OCPD Joseph Mwamburi said the driver of the trailer lost control while descending a steep section of the road and rammed onto two matatus and a saloon car before colliding head on with the truck.

“We suspect the driver of the trailer lost control of the vehicle after the brakes failed,” said Mr Mwamburi.

He added: “It is suspected that the driver was “free-wheeling” along the steep stretch and could not control the heavy vehicle when the brakes failed.”

Six occupants of the matatu, including the driver, died on the spot. The driver of the ill-fated trailer also died on impact.

Three other passengers succumbed to injuries at the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital where they were rushed.

The trailer and the matatu were extensively damaged in the accident that caused a huge traffic snarl up along the busy highway as the St John Ambulance and the Kenya Red Cross volunteers came to the rescue of the injured.

Police had a rough time trying to control curious members of the public. Passengers of the other two matatus hit by the trailer sustained slight injuries and were rushed to hospital.

Four adults and three children from one of the matatus were rushed to Molo district, while 11 others were taken to the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital.

Critical condition

Kennedy Okello, a clinical officer at the hospital, who supervised the first aid on the casualties, confirmed that three people, including a child, died upon arrival at the facility.

“We received 14 patients but three have since died. Four children are in critical condition but we are doing everything to save their lives,” said Mr Okello.

Davis Magafu, a survivor, said: “I only remember when a speeding trailer hit our lorry from behind and the driver lost control and landed in a ditch. I am lucky to have survived.”

Among those at the scene of the accident was the National Transport and Safety Authority Director Edwin Mukabana who said the authority was concerned by the rising number of road accidents involving trucks and trailers.