Economy
At Least 48 Killed As Trucks Collided With Vehicles And Street Vendors In Londiani
Saturday 01 July 2023
One of the plane’s wreckage is pulled away from the scene of the accident at the Londiani Junction along the Nakuru-Kericho Highway in Kenya on June 30, 2023. Photo | John Njoroge | NMG
At least 48 people have been confirmed dead following a terrible road accident that occurred at the Londiani Interchange along the Nakuru-Kericho Expressway around 7pm on Friday, June 30.
The accident involved a truck traveling from Nakuru towards Kericho that lost control and hit several matatos, private vehicles and motorcycles before tumbling into a ditch.
The truck also hit street vendors selling maize, vegetables, cabbage and roasted oranges on the roadside at Mohoroni Junction.
(embed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmETSxNii1g (/embed)
Confirming the incident, Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Abdi Hassan said the death toll rose to 48 around 11:30 pm as other victims succumbed to injuries while being transported to hospital.
Dr. Hassan, speaking at the scene of the accident, added that two bodies were trapped at the scene, as about 30 people were injured.
Debris is pulled away from the scene of the accident at the Londiani Interchange along the Nakuru-Keiricho Expressway on June 30, 2023.
At around 9pm, Lundyani Police Chief Agnes Konga confirmed that at least 20 people had died and dozens had been taken to various health facilities in Nakuru and Kericho for treatment.
“We lost more than 20 people in the terrible accident. Dozens of others have been shifted to various hospitals including Londyani, Molo County and Nakuru Level 5 hospitals,” said Ms. Konga.
“It is a very bad accident. It is feared that many people will die while others will be trapped in the piled-up rubble.”
As of press time, more than 50 victims are being treated at the hospital, said a doctor at the Lundiani Sub-Hospital.
A truck breakdown arrived at the scene where several people were killed after a truck collided with vehicles, crashing into roadside hawkers at the Muhoroni turn in Londiani along the Kericho-Nakuru Expressway.
Debris in a pile after a truck collided with several cars at the Londiani intersection.
An unknown number of victims are also said to have been taken by the Good Samaritans to various hospitals spread between Nakuru and Kericho counties.
Rescue efforts were coordinated by the police with darkness and drizzle hampering efforts.
All major hospitals in the area responded to the incident by sending their own ambulances and having paramedics on standby to deal with emergencies.
The Kericho District Government dispatched all its ambulances to the scene with the Kenya Red Cross Society responding to the emergency.