48 people were killed and 30 others were injured in a tragic traffic accident that occurred in western Kenya on Friday evening. The incident is believed to have occurred due to the driver losing control of the truck and colliding with a bus stop, according to the police.
Police official Geoffrey Maike stated to the French Press Agency (AFP) that the accident took place at a busy intersection on the highway between the cities of Kericho and Nakuru. He confirmed, “At the moment, we can confirm the death of 48 people.”
He added that “our estimates indicate that there may be one or two individuals trapped under the truck.” Regarding the injured, he said, “Thirty people have been seriously injured and have been transported to various hospitals.”
The police official did not rule out the possibility that “the casualty toll could be higher,” pointing out that “at the moment, the confirmed toll stands at 30 injured.”
According to local media reports, heavy rains have hindered rescue operations. As for the circumstances of the accident, Maike stated that preliminary information indicates that “a truck heading to Kericho lost control and collided with several matatus (local minibusses) that were crowded with passengers at a bus station.”
He further mentioned that the truck crushed the minibusses and also ran over pedestrians standing near the bus station.
In a Facebook post, Governor Eric Mutai of Kericho County expressed his heartbreak, saying, “My heart is broken.” He added, “My heart goes out to the families who have just lost their loved ones,” emphasizing that the state authorities have put all ambulances and health facilities on high alert to deal with this tragedy.
In recent years, the number of fatalities in road accidents in Kenya has been on the rise, according to government statistics.
