Four dead after truck rams into buildings in Isiolo town
Isiolo county government ambulance at the accident scene where five people were killed and 12 injured after a truck ferrying powdered milk lost control and rammed into several shops on February 28, 2022.
Five people among them two primary school boys died and 12 others were injured after they were knocked down by a trailer ferrying milk at Kangutu area along Isiolo-Moyale highway.
The speeding vehicle lost control and swerved off the road while descending the hilly area within Mwangaza Primary school, about 300 metres to Isiolo town centre, ramming into several shops and nearby EAPC church perimeter wall and kitchen.
The accident that occurred around 11 am caused a traffic snarl-up along the stretch as residents thronged the scene to rescue those injured and rush them to the hospital.
It remains unclear whether the two boys, who were going home from school, were knocked down while crossing the road as alleged by residents or were fatally injured while taking lunch at one of the hotels that was brought down by the vehicle.
One of the occupants of the lorry died on the spot while the other was rushed to hospital in a critical state.
Red Cross Isiolo branch Action Team leader Abdikadir Ali led the evacuation together with police officers and members of the public, said that among the injured 12 were two pregnant women who were at a salon adjacent to the church.
“Five people including two boys died in the accident and 12 among them 10 women were injured in the accident. The casualties are being treated at Isiolo County Referral Hospital,” he said.
Residents mill around the Isiolo accident scene where a truck ferrying powdered milk rammed into several shops killing five and injuring 12 others at Kangutu along Isiolo-Moyale Highway on February 28, 2022
It is suspected that there could be more people trapped in the wreckage with evacuation efforts ongoing.
A bodaboda rider who had parked his motorbike outside the businesses escaped death by a whisker.
Mr Ali said they had received information about the trailer after it was spotted in Meru while proceeding towards Isiolo and alerted business people but they did not take necessary precautions.
Some, eyewitnesses said, waited by the roadside to see the vehicle while others ran after it from Meru side.
Mr Ben Karithi, an eyewitness, said the vehicle rammed into a woman and two children who were crossing the road.
“I saw it approaching in high speed and within a short time, it had knocked down the three and rammed into several shops,” he said.
Ms Lucy Mworia, while condoling with the bereaved families, asked Kenya National Highway Authority to erect speedy bumps along the road to prevent more accidents.
“KeNHA should put up more bumps to ensure vehicles ply at low speed so that we stop losing lives on the road,” she said.
The leader hit out at Isiolo County government over limited space at the Referral Hospital Mortuary saying the facility had been overwhelmed.
“The capacity should be expanded to accommodate more people. There is no space and people are being forced to take bodies elsewhere,” she claimed.
Mr Sadic Osman lamented over increasing cases of heavy vehicles ferrying goods ramming into business premises and knocking down motorists in the busy town.
“Something must be done to ensure all motorists use a limited speed while passing through the town because the trend is worrying,” he said.
The number of those injured could be higher as residents had already started rescuing those injured and rushing them to nearby hospitals before police and the Red Cross team arrived at the scene.