Nine dead as crash sets bus on fire

The wreckage of the 39-seater bus that went up in flames after colliding with a lorry on Nairobi-Mombasa highway yesterday. [John Muia, Standard]

Eight people were burnt beyond recognition and 19 others seriously injured in an accident on Mombasa-Nairobi highway.

The accident involved a Mombasa-bound bus belonging to Buscar Company that collided with the lorry yesterday at Pipeline area, Emali and burst into flames.

The driver of the lorry that was transporting flour towards Nairobi also died.

Police could not immediately establish what caused the midnight head-on crash.

“We cannot tell exactly how the accident happened, which vehicle was overtaking since they collided at the centre of the road. But we have nine badly burnt bodies that need experts to identify. Nineteen people were rushed to Sultan Hamud hospital and Kilome for treatment,” said Emali OCPD, Patrick Olonyi.

Poor visibility

Mr Olonyi said poor visibility may have led to the crash.

“There were light rains in the area which could have affected traffic,” he said.

Olonyi said the impact of the accident set the bus on fire, burning eight passengers.

There were fears the number of casualties could rise because the bus had a capacity of 39 passengers.

“We have missing passengers from the bus, but we are yet to get communication from the bus company to know the number of passengers it was carrying,” he said.

Bodies were taken to Makindu sub-county hospital mortuary.

The bus wreckage told of the horror of the accident. Its roof and body work was ripped apart, the metal twisted in the fierce fire that razed the ground on which it stood.

From the piles of ashes inside, it was clear that some of the passengers could have been incinerated on their seats.

One of the survivors of the crash said he escaped through the window after the crash.

“I was woken up by screams of passengers following a loud bang,” said Richard Mulei.

The bus had left Nairobi at around 10pm and was expected in Mombasa at around 5am.