12 dead after grisly accident in Salgaa

12 people died and two others were injured after a passenger matatu collided with a truck at the Salgaa black spot on the busy Nakuru-Eldoret highway early Sunday morning.

The 11-seater matatu belonging to Great Rift Shuttle was trying to avoid hitting a cow that was crossing the road when it lost control and rammed into the oncoming trailer.

Nakuru Police Commandant Hassan Barua confirmed the incident saying all occupants of the shuttle perished in the 3am grisly road accident.

“All the 11 passengers and the driver of the shuttle died on the spot,” said the police commandant.

The truck driver and his turn boy suffered serious injuries and were taken to Nakuru Level Five Hospital.

Mr Barua said the matatu driver lost control after hitting the cow, before colliding with the truck.

At the scene of the horrible accident, parts of the wrecked shuttle including seats were scattered beside the road as the traffic officers tried to clear the mess.

The carcass of the cow which is said to have caused the accident lay about 20 metres from where it was hit while crossing the road.

Witnesses and well-wishers who arrived at the scene immediately the accident occurred said they could not help since there were no hospitals around, saying that the nearest hospital was in Nakuru town.

The bodies were moved to the Nakuru Level Five hospital mortuary.

The Salgaa accident comes on a day when the world is commemorating World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR).

WDR is marked on the third Sunday of November every year to acknowledge victims of road traffic crashes and their families.