Three people died on the spot and several others injured in Athi River accident yesterday morning.
The trio were passengers in a 14-seater matatu that collided head-on with a trailer at Bridge 39, a few metres from Devki Steel plant, off the Nairobi-Mombasa highway.
The matatu belonging to MAKOS sacco was heading to Nairobi when the 11.30am accident occurred.
The trailer, whose driver suffered minor injuries, was heading to Mombasa. Athi River police boss Sharma Wario confirmed.
He said the matatu driver was among the dead, and two female passengers. Wario said the driver was overtaking other vehicles on the bridge.
“Its driver tried to avoid ramming into the trailer in vain,” Wario said.
He said other occupants of the matatu who sustained injuries were admitted to Shalom Community Hospital, Athi River town. The bodies are in the health facility’s morgue but have not been identified.
The mangled wreckage of the matatu was towed to the Athi River police station, and the trailer driven to the same compound.
Athi River traffic boss Moses Kimeli attributed the accident to carelessness. “When you are trying to overtake at a bridge on a highway, where are you rushing the matatu to?” he said.
Kimeli said passengers should always protest whenever they see drivers flout traffic rules and regulations.
“Be bold enough and say no. All motorists should stick to drivers’ code to avoid fatalities. This is a big loss,” he said.
