24 injured after speeding matatus collide head on in Garissa
Hassan Gama, a conductor in one of the ill-fated matatus on his hospital bed at Garissa Referral Hospital. 24 people were injured, four of them critically, when the speeding matatus collided along the Garissa-Madogo route on September 1, 2015. PHOTO | ABDIMALIK HAJIR | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Abdullahi said the four were stabilised before being ferried by ambulances to Nairobi.
- The matatus plying the Garissa Madogo route collided during the morning rush hour.
- The hospital received 24 victims of the accident who had soft tissue injuries while other patients had breakages on their hands.
- Witnesses also said one of the matatus was carrying 18 passengers instead of the 14 allowed by traffic rules.
Twenty four people were Tuesday morning injured after two matatus collided head on in Garissa County.
The matatus plying the Garissa-Madogo route collided during the morning rush hour.
Four of the injured people were said to be in critical condition.
They included the drivers of the ill-fated matatus and two of their passengers who sustained severe head and chest injuries and broken limbs.
They were immediately referred to the Kenyatta National Hospital for specialised treatment according to the nurse in-charge at Garissa Referral Hospital Mr Hassan Abdullahi.
He said the hospital received 24 victims of the accident who had soft tissue injuries while other patients had breakages on their hands.
“We have referred four patients who were in critical condition to Kenyatta National Hospital for specialised treatment; they had severe chest and head injuries,” he said.
Mr Abdullahi said the four were stabilised before being ferried by ambulances to Nairobi.
BLACK SPOT
The 6.30am accident occurred at a black spot when one of the matatus heading to Madogo to pick passengers who work in Garissa Town was trying to overtake a lorry at a sharp corner.
Relatives and friends rushed to the Garissa Referral Hospital where the injured were taken as police made frantic efforts to control the surging crowd.
Some of the survivors who spoke to Nation.co.ke from their hospital beds said the two vehicles were speeding when the accident happened.
According to an eyewitness Mr Omar Shaib, both matatus were speeding and the drivers were unable to control them vehicles when they met at the black spot.
Mr Shaib called on the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to erect bumps at all black spots on the route and more specifically at the scene of Tuesday’s accident.
Witnesses also said one of the matatus was carrying 18 passengers instead of the 14 allowed by traffic rules.
The wreckages of the two vehicles were towed to Garissa Police Station.
