Three people have been confirmed dead following a tragic accident at the Kapmakaa area, along the route to Chepseon in Kericho County.
The accident involved multiple vehicles including two trucks, two 14-seater matatus and a saloon car.
In photos seen by The Kenya Times, an overturned matatu is seen lying on its side in a ditch. Both vehicles were on a cobbled road, with a crowd of onlookers gathered on the side.
Furthermore, the front of the truck appeared severely damaged, with parts of the grille and bumper missing or dislodged.
Kericho County Traffic Enforcement Officer Selina Chirchir stated that a Toyota Hiace matatu traveling from Londiani to Kericho collided with an oil tanker heading towards the opposite direction along the Kericho-Mau Summit Road.
“The driver of the oil tanker lost control of the vehicle and hit the matatu head on causing it to roll,” she said.
Three other cars behind the matatu were also struck by the tanker in the collision.
Chirchir confirmed that the deceased include a woman and two men who were in the matatu involved in the accident. Several other passengers from the matatu were rushed to the Kericho County Referral Hospital with varying injuries.
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None of the drivers in the vehicles sustained any injuries. Chirchir added that an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the accident, although heavy rains in the region may have contributed to poor visibility for drivers.
This incident follows another tragic accident a day ago where three people died on the spot in a road accident involving a lorry and a pick-up truck at Fort Ternan along the Londiani-Muhoroni highway in Kericho County.
Chirchir reported that the lorry, carrying LPG, collided head-on with a Nissan double cab, resulting in the immediate deaths of the driver and two other occupants.
The driver of the lorry survived the accident and was taken to the Fort Ternan Sub- County Hospital for treatment.
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Earlier in the week, nine people died following a road accident involving a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) matatu full of passengers on the same highway.
Kericho County Commander Geoffrey Mayek confirmed that the nine people were killed in the road accident involving a matatu operating under Kamtco Sacco and a truck which was ferrying maize flour.
The area Assistant Chief Gregory Kemei said that the accident happened when the driver of the truck which was heading towards Londiani direction lost control after hitting a pothole.
Kemei added that this led to the truck veering off the lane and ramming into the oncoming matatu heading towards Kisumu direction which was ferrying more than ten passengers.
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