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24 People Injured, 7 Of Them Critical In Landless/Kwaheri Accident.



The remains of the Kinatwa matatu. PHOTO BY: Carolyne Mwaniki
At least 7 people were seriously injured and about 17 others escaped with minor injuries when the vehicles they were travelling in collided head early last night near Kwaheri, Muguga Area along Thika-Garissa Highway. The crash, that involved a Kinatwa Sacco 14-seater matatu and a bus owned by Silker Company, occurred shortly after 7:30pm local time near the junction to ‘Kwa Kerei’ just past Landless Estate, about 5 Kilometers from Makongeni Estate.

According to eyewitness account, the Kinatwa van was headed to Nairobi from Kitui while the Silker bus was heading the opposite direction. It is said that the bus tried to overtake another vehicle resulting to the accident. The impact tore the front parts of the two vehicles with the matatu bearing the blunt of it all, shredding and flipping off several of its parts on the sides.

Most of the injured were in the matatu, including its driver. Good Samaritans who rushed to the scene were forced to use metal bars and axes to free those trapped in the wreckage. The casualties, most of whom had sustained muscle and limb injuries, were rushed to Thika Level 5 Hospital plus several other nearby health facilities.

Motoristst and commuters plying the Thika-Garissa Highway were caught unawares by sounds of ambulance silens rushing the patients to the various hospitals around. The crash closed the two lanes of the road, causing heavy traffic delays for several hours especially towards Makongeni area.

According to Thika OCPD Mr. Erastus Muthamia who led the rescue operation, said that the accident had by last night not claimed anyone but he confirmed that 7 people had escaped with critical injuries with 17 others sustaining minor injuries, most of whom had boarded the bus.

Mr Muthamia commended the speedy response of the emergency response team but at the same time called on drivers to be a little bit cautious on the roads especially during the night.

The vehicles were taken to the police station to assist in investigations.

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