Nairobi: A speeding truck rammed several vehicles and traders at a market in western Kenya, killing at least 51 people. Police gave this information. The accident happened on Friday evening near the town of Londiani in western Kenya’s Rift Valley province, about 200 kilometers northwest of the capital Nairobi.
Rift Valley police commander Tom Odera said authorities had so far recovered 51 bodies from the scene, but more were feared trapped under the rubble. The Kenya Red Cross Society said on Saturday that 32 people were injured in the accident, and have been admitted to the hospital. Red Cross has appealed to people to donate blood.
The Red Cross Society said heavy rains hampered relief work and people were still trapped in damaged vehicles. Kenya’s Transport Minister Kipchumba Murkomen visited the scene on Saturday morning and said the government would move markets away from highways to prevent such accidents in the future. Kenya’s President William Ruto tweeted that the accident was tragic and expressed his condolences to the bereaved families. He urged motorists to be more vigilant.
Local media quoted eyewitnesses as saying the truck veered off the main highway and hit pedestrians and traders after hitting several vehicles. Eyewitnesses shared pictures of the wreckage of the vehicle. Police had said on Friday that the rescue operation would continue till night.
