Thousands stranded after train hits trailer in Donholm

A crowd gathers at the scne of accident between a trailer and train in Donholm, Nairobi. (Photo: Elvis Ogina, Standard)

Thousands of workers were stranded Wednesday morning after services of a commuter train were suspended following a collision between a train and a trailer in Donholm. Following the early morning incident that took place near National Cereals and Produce Board offices, the Embakasi commuter train service was cancelled.

According to witnesses, the driver of the trailer underestimated the speed of the train that was heading to Embakasi in the 6am incident. The driver of the trailer fled after the crash. Both the train operator and the truck driver escaped unhurt. The accident affected many commuters who rely on the train to connect to their destinations.

Traffic mess

It also led to a massive traffic jam, especially affecting vehicles coming from Donholm and Savannah estates all the way to Outer Ring Road. Staff from the Kenya Railways and St John's Ambulance arrived at the scene shortly after to remove the train and check on casualties respectively. The train had no passengers at the time of the accident. The oil tanker was also empty.

Jackson Masese from St John's Ambulance said no one was seriously injured, but said a woman who was on a boda boda at the time of the accident got injured on the head. The woman was rescued by a Good Samaritan and rushed to a nearby hospital. According to witnesses, the motor cycle was crossing the road when the crash occurred and in the confusion, the rider lost control causing the bike to fall.

"Only one woman got head injuries in the confusion and was rushed to Mama Lucy Hospital. The boda boda man escaped with minor bruises," said Masese.

Frustrated commuters blamed the traffic chaos on the ongoing construction of Outer Ring Road.

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