Tragedy as fire truck ploughs into Nyeri mourners, kills two – VIDEO
A triple tragedy has hit a Nyeri village after a fire engine killed two mourners and injured at least 10 others as it responded to an emergency.
The accident occurred Wednesday, two hours after the residents of Thunguma Village called for help following a fire outbreak.
One of those killed was the nephew of a woman whose house was on fire and the other a mourner.
One was a high school student and the other a youth in his 20s, said Nyeri OCPD Charles Rotich.
The fire started at 1.30pm and the truck arrived at 3pm, a distance of seven kilometres.
But as it was approaching the village, it lost control and swerved into a crowd that was attending a burial opposite the fire scene.
The driver failed to stop the truck as it ploughed the crowd. This is the same truck that last week had to be operated by boda boda riders after its crew were unable to use it during an inferno.
According to eyewitnesses, the engine’s driver did not seem sure of where to go and he headed towards a crowd that was staring at the burning house.
“We were attending to a young woman who had fainted when we saw the truck.
“It is by luck that we rolled over because the truck’s wheels came to a halt close to my head,” said Ms Charity Wangari, who sustained cuts on her leg.
“The truck was on high speed and out of control. It would have killed many more,” said Ms Joyce Muthoni, another witness.
The fire broke out at 1.30pm after a gas cylinder exploded. Witnesses said the engine arrived two-and-a-half hours later after the house had been reduced to ashes.
“Everyone was angry at the firemen because despite coming in late, they have caused more loss by killing and injuring people who were attending the burial,” said Ms Rahab Danson.
The driver of the truck is said to have ran away after irate on lookers started pelting the fire engine with stones.
Ten injured victims were taken to the Nyeri Provincial General Hospital with fractures, cuts and grazes caused by barbed wire.