Paragon Posted October 6, 2004 17 killed as bus plunges into valley ----- n By Patrick Mathangani The nation’s shameful failure to tame road carnage was yesterday demonstrated yet again after a bus, suspected by police to have been speeding, plunged into a valley in Machakos, killing 17 people. Thirty-four others were injured, 20 seriously, and doctors were yesterday fighting with over-stretched facilities to save their lives. However, Thika police chief James Adoli said three more people died while being treated at the local district hospital, bringing the death toll to 17. The Kenya Army and other rescue personnel were called in and swiftly mounted an operation to save the lives of the injured. Most of the 17 who perished were crushed to death as they dozed in their seats and their bodies were strewn on a vegetable garden after the bus’ roof was ripped off on impact, survivors said. The tragedy occurred at around 8am yesterday morning on a lonely stretch of the Thika-Garissa road known by local people as Kwa Majini (the Place of Devils) The bus missed plunging into Kathulini River by a few metres as it hurtled to tragedy, spewing out passengers, their goods and broken glass across the scene. The cause of the accident was not immediately clear though survivors and eyewitnesses said the bus swerved from lane to lane before nose-diving into the valley, rolling and then grinding to a rest on a vegetable garden far below the road. The fatalities included a three-year-old boy who died on his mother’s lap. Police said the mother also died. A total of 11 people died on the spot while three others were pronounced dead on arrival at the Matuu Sub-District Hospital. The bodies, some with necks and limbs twisted, and deep cuts, lay in pools of blood across the garden. Rescuers’ hearts sank when they discovered the three-year-old boy together with the bodies of nine men and one woman. The little body, together with the others, was taken to the Matuu Nursing Home mortuary. Area police chief Charles Muthengi said the boy’s mother was among the dead, but declined to give their names or those of the others until their next of kin were informed. The driver, who was identified only as Abbas, also died on the spot. He was thrown off the plunging bus. Police suspected that the bus, licensed to carry 48 passengers, may have been speeding. They are investigating if it was fitted with the mandatory speed control gadgets. But the tally of 17 dead and 34 injured exceeded the 48-passenger capacity of the bus as given by the police. The accident happened barely two hours into the 10-hour journey from Nairobi to Wajir, an inspector with the bus company, Abdi Mohammed, said. It left Nairobi at 6.30am with 36 passengers and was scheduled to arrive in Wajir at 5.30pm, he claimed. But at the time of the accident, the bus seems to have had more than its legal capacity. More passengers may have been picked up on the way. The bus was reduced into a mass of twisted metal, rubber and glass. The passengers’ goods lay strewn on the scene and were moved by police to Matuu Police Station. A swift rescue operation involving the Army, medical personnel from Machakos and Thika district and police was mounted to save the injured. The victims, who suffered a shocking catalogue of injuries including multiple fractures and deep cuts, were first rushed to the nearby Matuu Sub-District Hospital and later transferred to Thika District Hospital. Soon after the accident, Matuu hospital was quickly overwhelmed by demands for blood and medical staff, and had to call for help from other medical institutions, the officer in charge, Robert Kilonzo, said. Wailing passengers enquiring about their relatives and mourning their loved ones jammed the small medical centre. Three doctors and more than 10 staff were quickly sent from Thika District Hospital to help. "The extent of damage indicates the bus was speeding," Eastern provincial police chief Thomas Chigamba said. Muthengi said experts were called from Nairobi to inspect the wreckage to establish the cause of the accident. However, the conductor, Mr Abdi Rashid, and the company’s inspector, Mr Mohammed, denied that the bus was speeding and claimed that it was fitted with a speed governor. Mr Rashid, who was admitted to the Thika district hospital, complained of chest, back and shoulder pains. However, he said, he did not see what happened because he was talking to a passenger. A passenger, Joyce Kavinga Maillu, who had cuts and bruises on the hands and face, said she did not think the bus was speeding. Two Kenya Broadcasting Corporation employees based in Wajir were lucky to be alive and were admitted to Thika hospital. Mr Gabriel Njoroge, the KBC engineer in charge in Wajir and an announcer for the station’s North Eastern programmes, said the accident happened too fast to know what caused it. Mwangi said he was three seats behind the driver and did not notice anything wrong. "The bus swerved, then things happened so suddenly I don’t know what happened. I lost consciousness and came to a few minutes later to realize it was an accident," Mwangi said. The Thika Medical Officer of Health Dr Ephantus Maree said the condition of 20 victims was "unstable" but added that doctors were fighting to save their lives. source: http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=2357 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
raula Posted October 6, 2004 Truely sad, But what suprises me is The tragedy occurred at around 8am yesterday morning on a lonely stretch of the Thika-Garissa road known by local people as Kwa Majini (the Place of Devils) kwani kuna majini pale :confused: subxanallah. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mombasa_QUEEN Posted October 6, 2004 sorry to hear these...hey raula majini wako kila mahali siste. j11 i never knw you read standard.nimesahau hizo newspaper long time ago..but i still remeber nation that was my fav one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nomen nescio Posted October 6, 2004 sad news indeed,, but were there any somali's among the dead??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
STOIC Posted October 6, 2004 INALILAH WAINA ILAHURAJIUN.May Allah give the family involved SABR.Thanks for the piece of info. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baashi Posted October 6, 2004 Inaa Lilaahi wa Innaa Ileyhi raajicuun. Alla yarxama. My heart goes out to the relatives of the victims. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
checkmate Posted October 6, 2004 allaah yarxama raaximiim, ilaahayoo u gargaaar inta kale oo dhaawacsan...ilaahayoow u fududee yaa rab... asxantu Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tuujiye Posted October 6, 2004 Aaamiin shoobaro.. wareer badanaa!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OG Moti Posted October 7, 2004 salaam, is this Suju corner... i read the article yes it is sad, but i looked for the word somali couldnt find... Jamaalos sxb you didnt tell me you joint the suju party... but anyway if they were muslims Allaha unaxariisto, if they gaalo Alaha unaxariisto, kuwa noolna alaha hanuuniyo, wanaajiyo and tuso qiimaha nolosha.. wasalaam, peace Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
raula Posted October 7, 2004 ^^^we sure aint in Cambodia :rolleyes: kidding Moti-get a cup of CHAI and enjoy the view Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LayZie G. Posted October 7, 2004 Is this thread really necessary, poster??? Allah u naxariisto, its indeed a tragedy, but you realize that 150,000 people die every day. On average, 1.8 people, why these group of people, of all those 150,000 deaths??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OG Moti Posted October 7, 2004 ^^ because these group are SUJU people... Do you know what SUJU means to some of our Nomads, Laziegirl you must apologize before you are labeled as being racist... I dont believe she said what she said... Ilaahey ha cafiyo .. iska daaya wey qaldantay .. meynan kawadin waxey tiri... peace Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OG_Girl Posted October 7, 2004 LOOOOOOOOOOL@ Lazie and Moti. Allah yarham yamee3 mowtana. Salam Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paragon Posted October 7, 2004 Danger asked: "but were there any somali's among the dead???" Yes, Danger. The bus was journeying to Wajir District of the Somali inhibited Province of Kenya. 99% of the passengers were Somali. Og-Moti: "Jamaalos sxb you didnt tell me you joint the suju party... " No brother. It isn't. It is sad news for all Somalis. Lazie asked: "Is this thread really necessary, poster???" Yes. PS: For Allah's sake, people don't be insensitive. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Senora Posted October 7, 2004 May god bless their souls, and a speedy recovery for those still injured. I've heard many stories about the kenyan bus sytem....and things really need to get fixed up. I hear now that they are making some changes....but hopefully a tragedy like this will improve it even more *if that speeding accusation turns out to be true* Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
