Four confirmed dead in Kibera train accident

Business

BY Cyrus Ombati and James Ratemo

Four people have been confirmed dead and three others rescued and rushed to hospital following train mishap in Kibera.

Police are at the scene overseeing rescue operations after unknown number of people were trapped under a goods train that derailed and crashed on a crowd in Nairobi’s populous Kibera Slums.

There was stampede as residents scrambled for cooking oil, which was flowing from one of the coaches as the trapped victims cried for help.

A policeman at the scene where a goods train derailed and crashed on a crowd in Nairobi’s Kibera slums, killing four people and injuring several others. Photo: Evans Habil/Standard

Rescue mission are underway and police have sought assistance from disaster experts to help in evacuating people suspected to be trapped in the coaches following the mishap.

Kibera DC Joseph Owangwa said police are guiding rescue operation that has so far seen four bodies recovered.

A church service that was in progress, several stalls built near the railway lines are some of structures destroyed when the train derailed. Witnesses said pedestrians are also feared trapped under the coaches.

The incident happened in Mashimoni area where another train derailed last week.

Nairobi Area police boss Antony Kibuchi confirmed that at least four bodies have been recovered under the coaches and described the situation as dire. Rescue operations are going on.

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