By Kamadi Amata
Two vehicles collided head-on and caught fire on the Mombasa road, resulting in the death of one person and serious injuries to 23 others. The accident occurred on Friday night along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway near the Shell filling station, a few meters from Maanzoni Lodge in Athi River, Machakos County.
The vehicles involved in the accident were a passenger bus and a Toyota Hilux car. Machakos County police boss Joseph Ole Napeiyan confirmed that the driver of the Toyota Hilux died, while the injured persons were passengers aboard the bus. The deceased has not been identified yet.
According to Napeiyan, the Toyota Hilux was traveling towards Nairobi when it collided head-on with the oncoming vehicle. The driver was trapped inside the pickup, which burst into flames, and he was burnt beyond recognition. The bus driver and passengers were injured after the vehicles caught fire.
The fire was put out by a fire brigade team from the Machakos County government. All the injured persons were rushed to Machakos Level 5 hospital and are undergoing treatment, while the deceased was taken to the facility’s mortuary awaiting an autopsy and identification.
The wreckages were towed to Kyumbi police station for inspection, and officers from Kyumbi police station’s traffic department have launched investigations into the accident. Napeiyan cautioned motorists against flouting traffic rules to prevent accidents.
