Six perish, several injured as matatu bursts into flames in road accident
Six people lost their lives on Friday after a 14-seater matatu they were travelling in burst into flames along the busy Thika-Garissa highway.
The matatu collided head-on with a private car at Kwa Majini bridge and a gas cylinder that was being transported in the PSV then burst into flames.
Some eight passengers also sustained serious injuries and were rushed to a local dispensary where they are being treated. The police are yet to issue a statement on the accident and the situation of the victims who were injured.
Eye witnesses told Nairobi News that the matatu was being driven at a high speed leading to the accident.
James Karanja, and eye witness, said he heard a loud bang and when he rushed to the scene the vehicle was already up in flames.
“Efforts to put off the fire bore no fruits and the rescue mission was also very challenging. However, we managed to save a few people,” said Karanja.
One week ago, 18 people died after a matatu they were travelling in collided with a truck at Taru along Mombasa- Nairobi highway.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) recently said that a total of 1,912 people have died in road accidents since January 1, 2022. Last year, 1,754 lost their lives in road accident over the same period.
Already, NTSA has put measures in place to issue smart applications to assist motorists collect key road data with the aim of reducing road accidents.