One person died on spot while 17 others are nursing serious injuries at St Mary’s Mission Hospital following an accident involving three vehicles at Karura area on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway.
The accident occurred when an ambulance trying to overtake another Kenya Red Cross collided with a 14-seater matatu, killing the matatu driver on the spot.
“The matatu driver tried to give way due to alarm produced by the ambulance but it there wasn’t enough time to prevent the snarl-up as the ambulance was speeding,” said Julius Ndung’u, an eyewitness.
Daniel Maina, another witness, blamed the ambulance driver, saying that despite him using a siren to have the way cleared, he entered the wrong lane and hit the passenger vehicle.
“It is unfortunate that instead of the ambulance slowing down, it was speeding transporting charcoal. This is unwelcome because we respect life. The operator should have been careful to save a life,” he said.
The injured were taken to St Mary’s Mission Hospital where they are receiving treatment.
Winfred Wanyama who was traveling in the ambulance from Kakamega, who is currently receiving treatment at the facility, said she was asleep during the accident and just in a flash, she realised that the vehicle had turned to an opposite direction.
“I truly don’t know what happened. I just saw the vehicle turn and later found myself at a hospital bed,” she said.
Joshua Otieno, who was traveling in the passenger vehicle, said the ambulance was trying to overtake the Red Cross vehicle when it hit the passenger vehicle.
“The driver of matatu was very keen from Nairobi but on reaching the scene of accident, he was hit by the ambulance. The impact also made the Red Cross vehicle turn,” he said.
The hospital nursing director Salesio Marangu said they received 17 causalities, comprising 15 adults and two children.
Marangu said 10 casualties were taken to theatre while the facility was organizing to transfer some to facilities with intensive care unit for further treatment.
“Many casualties received at the facility are admitted in critical condition. Nurses who were off duty have been recalled to help in providing them with services,” said Marangu.
The facility hospital administrator Seth Manea called on highway drivers to observe traffic rules to avoid numerous deaths.
Manea said since Christmas, the facility has received patients from about four major accidents reported on the highway.