Six perish in Machakos road accident

Police officer inspects wreckage of the 14-seater matatu that collided head-on with a lorry a few kilometers from Machakos town. (Photo:Daniel Nzia/Standard)

By Daniel Nzia and Onesmus Nzioka

Machakos, Kenya: Six people Sunday perished when the matatu in which they were travelling collided with a lorry along Machakos-Nairobi road.

Five died on spot following the head on collision near Cai resort, about 3 kilometers from Machakos town.

Fifteen casualties were rushed to the Machakos Level Five Hospital with eight in critical condition. Eye witnesses described the injuries as multiple and critical.

One person succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment.

The 3pm accident caused a major traffic jam, making rescue operations by the police and well wishers cumbersome.

Traffic police led by their commandant Rashid Ali had difficult time controlling members of the public who rushed to the scene to have a glimpse of the incident.

A Red Cross volunteer Ms Rhoda Muinde who was swimming at the clubs pool metres away jumped the fence in her swimming costume to rescue the injured.

“I called Red Cross team and the police as I dashed to the accident scene. It was a terrible scene with blood flowing on the road like water and brains strewn all over the place,” she told The Standard.

Rashid confirmed five bodies were removed from the scene and taken to the Machakos Level Five hospital mortuary.

He said the ill fated Nissan matatu was travelling from Machakos road junction while the lorry was heading the opposite direction when the two vehicles collided head on.

The Traffic boss said initial investigations revealed that the Nissan matatu was overtaking at the time of the crash but added they had launched investigations.

Deputy Traffic commandant James Onyango said at least eight others were rushed to hospital in serious condition. He added the death toll may increase because some of the injured were in critical condition.

A Nairobi based detective Paul Mutua who survived the accident by a whisker said his mother sustained facial injuries.

“I was driving behind the lorry that crashed with the Nissan matatu when I suddenly heard a loud bang, followed by a cloud of dust which forced me to swerve off the road,” he told the traffic police boss at the scene.

Residents have in the recent past complained of frequent accidents along the section of the road and called for the erection of bumps to reduce the carnage. 

A resident, Julius Kyule described the area as ‘always an accident waiting to happen zone’ saying their plea for bumps has fallen on deaf ears.

The accident comes in the wake of campaigns to reduce road carnage.

More than 3,000 people have died in accidents since January this year.

-Additional reporting by Cyrus Ombati