Meru: Several Feared Dead, Scores Injured as Matatu Crashes Along Timau-Meru Road
- A deadly crash on the Timau-Meru Road has left several feared dead after a matatu and a pickup collided head-on near the notorious Pivot area on Thursday night
- The high-speed impact mangled both vehicles, with the matatu’s front crushed and its doors torn off, trapping multiple passengers inside the wreckage
- Local residents and police launched a frantic rescue under torchlight, pulling the injured, some bleeding, others unconscious, from the twisted metal
- Eyewitnesses described heart-wrenching scenes as survivors lay by the roadside in shock, awaiting urgent medical help through the night
Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Meru - Tragedy struck along the Timau-Meru Road after a horrific road accident involving a public service vehicle (PSV) and a pickup left several people feared dead and scores injured.
Source: UGC
The night of Thursday, May 1 accident happened at the notorious Pivot area in Timau.
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How did Timau-Meru Road accident happen?
According to preliminary reports, the matatu, which was ferrying passengers towards Meru town, collided head-on with a pickup truck at high speed. The impact was devastating.
Images and videos from the scene, obtained by TUKO.co.ke, painted a grim picture of the aftermath.
The matatu’s front was completely mangled, with its dashboard flattened and part of its doors forcefully detached.
The pickup also sustained significant damage, its front section crushed like paper from the violent impact.
The force of the collision left several passengers trapped inside the wreckage, prompting a swift rescue response from nearby residents and local law enforcement officers.
Torches and phone lights illuminated the night as people worked desperately to pull victims from the twisted metal, some crying for help, others eerily silent.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and anguish as the injured, many bleeding and in shock, were laid by the roadside awaiting transport to nearby hospitals.
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As rescue efforts continued into the night, the exact number of victims remained unclear.
What caused the Kericho-Kaplong Road accident?
In other news, a tragic accident occurred along the Kericho-Kaplong Road in Bomet county, resulting in 15 deaths and 14 injuries.
The crash involved a lorry, a matatu, and a private Mazda car near the Cheptakulge area around 3:30pm.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the private car, reportedly carrying revellers from a celebration, was speeding and driving recklessly, contributing to the collision.
Source: Facebook
Loud music and possible alcohol consumption were also noted, with a beer bottle found in the vehicle.
The matatu suffered extensive damage, including a shattered windscreen and dislodged seats, while the lorry was found tilted with a severely damaged front.
Emergency responders transported the injured to nearby hospitals: six to St. Clare's Kaplong Mission Hospital, five to Tenwek Hospital, and three to Litein AIC Hospital.
Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok expressed deep sorrow over the incident and emphasised the need for stricter traffic enforcement, especially in accident-prone areas.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir visited the survivors and directed the reintroduction of alcohol testing (alco-blow) for drivers.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
