3 die in road crashes in Nakuru, Nyamira and Eldoret
The bus that collided with a lorry at Salgaa black spot along Nakuru -Eldoret highway in the wee hours of November 24, 2017. The driver died on the spot. PHOTO | FRANCIS MUREITHI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- In Nakuru, driver of a Tanzanian, Nairobi-bound bus died in a collision with a lorry at Salgaa on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway.
The canter lorry was carrying cashew nuts to Kitale while the bus, christened Sai Baba Express, was heading to the Kenyan capital.
Three people died and more than 50 injured in road crashes on Friday morning.
In Nakuru, driver of a Tanzanian, Nairobi-bound bus died in a collision with a lorry at Salgaa on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway.
LOOTING
The canter lorry was carrying groundnuts to Kitale while the bus, christened Sai Baba Express, was heading to the Kenyan capital.
According to Rongai police chief Japheth Kioko, the bus driver was trying to overtake a trailer when he hit the lorry, ripping its entire body, in the 3.20am incident.
"The bus driver, while overtaking a trailer, rammed the canter and landed in a ditch," said Mr Kioko.
The canter was transporting some 110 bags of groundnuts to Kitale.
The pain and suffering of the injured passengers did not concern some Salgaa residents who took advantage of the crash to loot.
Good Samaritans help police in collecting spilled groundnuts at the scene of the Salgaa crash. Some residents, who were the first ones to arrive at the scene, looted the nuts before police came. PHOTO | FRANCIS MUREITHI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
They scooped the groundnuts with plastic containers and loaded them in gunny bags instead of helping the injured.
CROWDS
Police, led by Mr Kioko, stopped the looting and rescued the casualties.
The officers had a rough time controlling the surging crowd at the scene, with some keen on looting.
Mr Kioko said 10 passengers, the lorry driver and his loader escaped with minor injuries and were taken to Nakuru Level Five Hospital where they were treated and discharged.
The bus that collided with a lorry at Salgaa black spot along Nakuru -Eldoret highway. PHOTO | FRANCIS MUREITHI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The body of the bus driver was taken to Nakuru County mortuary while the wreckage of the bus was towed to Salgaa Traffic Base.
The crash comes days after 12 people perished when Great Rift Shuttle hit a cow and collided head-on with a truck, almost at the same time and spot, on November 19
Mr Kioko urged the drivers to be careful while driving at night.
2 DEAD
In Nyamira, two people died after a car they were travelling in veered off the road and rolled along Keroka-Sotik road.
Keroka police chief Philip Wambugu said the driver of the saloon car was unable to control the vehicle near Vision Point in Borabu.
"The car rolled several times and its driver and unidentified passenger died on the spot," Mr Wambugu said.
He said he could not disclose the identity of the driver until his relatives have been informed.
"Those who died during the 4.15am accident are all male but we cannot disclose the name," he said.
50 INJURED
The bodies were taken to Keroka Hospital mortuary while the wreckage was towed to Keroka Police Station.
Mr Wambugu said the section of the road is a black spot and urged motorists to drive carefully.
In Uasin Gishu, more than 50 passengers escaped death narrowly after the bus they were travelling in crashed at 5am in Baharini.
The Bungoma-bound bus, belonging to Greenline Safaris, was overtaking another vehicle when it collided head-on with the truck heading to Eldoret.
Scores of passengers were seriously injured and were taken to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Both drivers were trapped in the wreckages.
Reported by Francis Mureithi, Henry Nyarora and Brenda Gamonde.
