Four people escape unhurt after a train hits a lorry in Dandora, Nairobi

NAIROBI, KENYA: Four people escaped unhurt Tuesday night after a commuter train hit a lorry at a railway crossing at Dandora Phase 5, Nairobi.

The lorry is said to have stalled at a railway crossing when an approaching train also failed to stop at about 7 pm, police said.

Kenya Railways commandant Kirimi Ringera said the driver and his crew jumped out and managed to escape before the train hit the lorry dragging it for a while.

Ringera said the lorry was carrying stones at the time of the incident and that the train was headed for Ruiru town. The driver is yet to be arrested.

"We are looking for the driver of the lorry to face charges of obstruction. He failed to stop and give way for the train as per the law. The train hooted as it approached the scene but the driver seems to have ignored the warnings," said Ringera.

It took almost an hour to remove the lorry from the scene as a crowd surged there forcing police to shoot in the air to disperse them.

This delayed the train services as investigators also assessed the scene.

It is not the first time such an incident happened on the route.

A similar incident in Umoja area last year left 13 passengers dead and a dozen others wounded.