Two people die as sugarcane laden lorry plunges down from a flyover in Kisumu

Residents of Nyamasaria in Kisumu at the scene where a sugarcane truck fell off from the bypass along Kisumu- Nairobi road leading to Kondele after it lost control on May 26 2016 morning. The driver and the turn boy of the truck died upon reaching Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral hospital while one form four student of Oasis of Hope Secondary school was seriously injured. [Photo:COLLINS ODUOR/Standard]

Two people died while more than 20 students escaped narrowly after a 12 tonne lorry laden with sugarcane plunged down from a 15 foot fly-over in Kisumu.

A form four  student , hit  by flying debris  as  the lorry tumbled down the fly-over along the Kisumu -Nairobi road is  being treated  at the  Kisumu County  Hospital following the 6.30 am accident.

Doctors   at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral hospital said that the turn boy of the vehicle that was ferrying sugarcane from Awasi to the Kibos sugar factory in the outskirts of the town, died on the way to the hospital while the driver died on admission to the facility.

The injured student, identified as Josephine Akinyi from Oasis of Hope Secondary school, was among the more than 20 students who were walking to school along the flyover when the accident happened. Other students who narrowly escaped from the accident were from Kassagam and St Marks Secondary schools.

Nyanza regional traffic commandant, Mr. Simon Birir confirmed the accident and identified the driver as Joseph Otieno and his turn boy Paul Otieno.

"Initial reports say the driver lost control of the trailer and veered off the fly-over before plunging into road underneath but we are investigating it,” said Mr. Birir.

Eyewitnesses recall hearing loud hooting from the lorry as it sped along the recently constructed flyover before it hit the rails and tumbled, spilling its cargo in the process. Police suspect it was as a result of brakes failure.

"It was a very narrow escape for the students and other pedestrians who were walking along the road near the flyover.  The trailer fell with a thud, missing them by inches,” said an eyewitness, Mr. Frederick Omondi.

One of the students, Nedin Akoth from Kassagam School who escaped with minor bruises said it was a miracle that they survived during the accident.

"We were walking in a group to school when we heard the loud bang.  Our colleague who was seriously injured could not run fast enough,” said Akoth.

It took more than one hour for the police and rescuers to remove the mangled wreckage to confirm if other pedestrians could had been trapped underneath.

Residents angered by frequent accidents caused by trailers ferrying sugarcane asked the government to stop lorries weighing more than 7 tonnes from using the road.

"It is a disaster waiting to happen.  These lorries overload and are a danger to other road users. They should use an alternative route from Rabuor to Chiga," said Mr. Robert Kombo, a local resident.