(Nairobi) At least 48 people were killed in a road accident in western Kenya on Friday night at a busy junction, local police said.
“At this stage we can confirm that 48 people are dead and we estimate that one or two others are still stuck in the truck,” police commander Geoffrey Mayek told AFP after the collision on the highway. between the towns of Kericho and Nakuru.
He reported at least 30 injured taken to nearby hospitals.
“We estimate that a truck on its way to Kericho lost control and hit matatus (local minibuses, editor’s note) gathered at a bus stop, passed over these matatus and injured passengers and pedestrians who were at that bus stop,” the policeman said.
Collins Kipkoech, senior physician at Kericho County Hospital, said he received 45 bodies, while other victims were received by other facilities. “And the rescue continues,” he added.
Several local televisions showed images of dislocated vehicles.
“The truck was going full speed and honking,” said a witness to the accident, Maureen Jepkoech. “He tried to avoid several vehicles before finding himself in the middle of the market”.
“I heard people say the vehicle had lost its brakes. But I don’t know if that was the case,” she added.
“The accident happened in an instant,” said another witness, Joel Rotich. “Many did not have time to flee”.
“There was a huge confusion: people were screaming and running around,” he said.
Traffic accidents are common in Africa. A collision between a bus and a truck killed 20 people in January in Senegal, a week after the death of more than 40 people in another accident.