One dead, 10 injured after matatu rolls near Nithi bridge

One person died and 10 others were injured after a matatu in which they were travelling lost control and rolled on the Meru-Embu road on Tuesday evening.

The matatu belonging to the Meru Shuttle Company was heading to Nairobi from Meru when the accident happened.

Tharaka-Nithi County Police Commander Johnstone Ipara said the driver of the vehicle lost control of the vehicle as he tried to negotiate a corner near the Nithi River bridge.

Other reports claimed that the matatu was trying to overtake another vehicle when it lost control.

The matatu did not however plunge into the nearby Nithi River.

Mr Ipara said the injured were rushed to the Chuka General Hospital for treatment.

Reports indicated some of those who were seriously injured had been referred to Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi.

“Those injured are still receiving treatment. We shall give details of injuries later on,” Mr Ipara said.

INJURED RUSHED TO HOSPITAL

A team from the Kenya Red Cross who were among the first to arrive at the scene rushed those injured to hospital.

The Nithi bridge is a black spot that has over the years gained notoriety for the many accidents that have claimed many lives.

The accidents caused an outcry from local leaders leading to the expansion of the bridge.

In 2011, more than 100 matatu operators and conductors held prayers in Meru to ‘exorcise the ghosts’ that were believed to be behind numerous accidents in the area.

Drivers using the road say they cannot explain why there are so many accidents at the Nithi bridge.