21 Killed after Bus Ferrying Mourners Overturns on Kisumu-Kakamega Highway
- A road accident in Kisumu killed at least 21 people after the bus they were travelling in overturned at the Coptic roundabout, a black spot in Mamboleo, Kisumu
- Twenty others were injured in the carnage, with five sustaining very critical injuries; they were taken to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital
- The bus was ferrying tens of mourners and experienced a common mishap at the roundabout, as explained by eyewitnesses
Education is Your Right! Don’t Let Social Norms Hold You Back. Learn Online with TUKO. Enroll Now!
At least 21 people have been confirmed dead after the bus they were travelling in crashed at a spot on the Kisumu-Kakamega Highway.
Source: Twitter
The fatalities were among mourners coming from a funeral and headed to Nyakacha, Kisumu county.
Nineteen passengers died on the spot, with two others succumbing to injuries at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, where they had been rushed.
Twenty others survived, including an eight-month-old infant, and are at the same facility receiving treatment.
Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner ;)
The bodies were all booked into the hospital's morgue.
How Kisumu accident occurred
The victims were on board a bus belonging to AIC Naki High School, which overturned at the Coptic Roundabout as the driver unsuccessfully strove to negotiate the spot.
It overturned at the side of the roundabout.
At the scene were responders from a host of humanitarian organisations and hospitals, including the Kenya Red Cross, St John's Ambulance, and the Kisumu County Government.
Nyanza regional traffic boss Peter Maina confirmed the tragic road crash.
Whilst Maina said 21 was the official number of the fatalities, eyewitnesses suggested there could be more trapped under the wreckage.
"The traffic boss says there are 21 who have died, but I can't say that is the number because we are still looking for more," said Eli Omogo, one of the first responders at the scene.
What caused Kisumu accident that killed 21?
According to the eyewitnesses, the vast roundabout contributed significantly to the accident.
One observed that drivers, especially those behind the wheel of huge vehicles, have a difficult time navigating the spot.
In most instances, they end up at the very far end of the road, where there are potholes and gullies, where the vehicles lose balance and overturn as a result.
"The roundabout is so big and hence when drivers navigate it, they end up at the far end of the road, and that is how the vehicles roll. There is also a church that obstructs drivers; we request KeNHA to correct this roundabout to end this string of accidents," Omogo said.
The wreckage of the bus was towed by a breakdown truck to the Kondele Police Station.
The accident occurred just a day after another one that claimed nine lives.
How 9 Kenya Pipeline employees met their deaths
On Thursday evening, August 7, a bus carrying employees of Kenya Pipeline was crashed by a cargo train at the Morendat junction in Naivasha.
Source: Twitter
According to witnesses at the scene, the bus experienced a brake malfunction, and the driver was unaware of the oncoming train transporting coiled steel rolls.
Others linked the crash to poor visibility caused by evening mist following heavy rainfall.
Eight individuals, seated in the section aligned with the driver’s position, died on the spot.
The collision, which happened around 5 pm, led to a heavy traffic congestion along both the Naivasha-Kasarani and Naivasha-Nakuru Highways.
Officers from the Naivasha Patrol Base arrived to manage the situation and clear the area.
Naivasha Division Commander Antony Keter confirmed the incident, noting that the deceased were taken to the Naivasha Sub-County Hospital mortuary.
Emergency teams from the Kenya Railways Corporation and the Kenya Red Cross were also present at the scene.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
