Survivors in anguish after Sachangwan accident

As other Kenyans celebrated Jamhuri Day and took a break from work on Tuesday, several families were mourning the death of their relatives in the Sachangwan accident, while survivors nursed injuries.

At least 16 people died while many more were injured in the horrific accident on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway that involved at least 13 vehicles.

MOURNING

At the Molo Sub-County Hospital, a woman uncontrollably wept after learning about the death of her 10-year-old son, who succumbed to injuries following the accident.

The woman was travelling with her three children and two of them sustained injuries, while the oldest died.

The woman was also seriously injured.

Nurses at the hospital had a difficult time trying to calm her down.

Also among the survivors was a two-year-old who was seriously injured.

SURVIVORS

Survivors trickled into the hospital minutes after more than 10 vehicles were involved in a multiple accident at the notorious Sachangwan black spot, in which 16 people died.

Some survivors who talked to Nation said the accident was caused by a truck that was coming from the Eldoret direction heading towards Nakuru. They said it collided with oncoming vehicles.

“I was travelling with my family from Nairobi to Kitale when I saw a truck speeding on the opposite side, from the hill. I stopped the vehicle since I was driving, but the truck came crashing into other vehicles until it reached where we had stopped,” said Mohammed Hussein, a survivor.

Mr Hussein said the truck hit their car and continued crashing into other vehicles behind them.

“We were lucky that we escaped with minor injuries. Out of the four of us who were in the vehicle, only one got serious injuries,” said Mr Hussein.

HIT

Mr Vincent Kivati, who survived with minor injuries, said he was travelling on the Great Rift Sacco shuttle from Nairobi heading to Kitale.

“We suddenly heard an impact from behind and within no time our vehicle was rolling,” he narrated.

Mr Kivati said no passenger in the shuttle died.

RESCUE

The Kenya Red Cross team and students from the PCEA Nakuru West Medical College were among those who rushed to the hospital to help with the rescue operations, as police and rescue departments brought them in.

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA) senior management were expected to visit the Sachangwan black spot.

The authority is also expected to issue a briefing on the measures it plans to undertake to ensure safety for all motorists and pedestrians, especially during the festive season.

This comes barely 24 hours after the horrific Jamhuri Day accident in Sachangwan.

ACTION

The team will meet Governor Lee Kinyanjui before proceeding to the scene of the accident situated along the Ngata-Kamara stretch, where more than five grisly accidents have occurred in the past two months.

Hardly a month goes by without a fatal collision happening along the stretch covering covering Sobea, Salgaa, Migaa, Sachangwan, Total and Mau Summit.

The Tuesday crash happened just three days after another accident at Kamara on the deadly stretch claimed the lives of seven people, among them five local artistes.

Residents want heavy trucks banned from using the busy road, saying they cause many accidents.

Friends and relatives are expected to start identifying bodies that were taken to Molo Sub-County Hospital after the accident.