Seventeen people have died in a fatal road accident at Salama in Makueni County along the Nairobi-Mombasa Road, which occurred on the night of Friday
The Long Distance Drivers and Conductors Association of Kenya confirmed the incident, saying the crash caused a heavy traffic snarl-up along the busy highway, with delays still being experienced on the morning of Saturday, October 3.
“A fatal road accident occurred on the night of 2nd October at Salama along the Mombasa Road, reportedly claiming the lives of 17 people at the scene,” read part of the association’s statement.
According to reports, the accident happened after a lorry lost control following an apparent brake failure and rammed into several vehicles, among them a 14-seater matatu.
Those injured were rushed to Sultan Hamud Hospital for treatment, while the damaged vehicles were towed from the scene.
Photos seen by the Western Kenya Times show a severely damaged white matatu lying on its side. The vehicle’s roof and body are badly crushed, its windows shattered, and mud and debris cover much of the wreckage.
Emergency responders and bystanders, some in reflective safety jackets, were seen at the scene as vehicles with headlights on illuminated the area. In a video, police officers can be seen towing the lorry and matatu off the road in the dark, with debris scattered along the roadside.
The association urged motorists to exercise caution on the highway by slowing down, staying alert and avoiding risky overtaking.
The latest crash comes months after another deadly accident in the ACK Salama area along the same highway, which left seven people dead and 27 others seriously injured. That crash occurred at around 9:30pm on Sunday, June 8, and involved four vehicles: a bus, a trailer and two private vehicles.
Mukaa Sub-County Police Commander Hussein Abduba confirmed the earlier crash, which involved a PSV bus and a lorry.
