Eight sand harvesters die in accident along Mai Mahiu-Narok road

NAKURU COUNTY: Eight sand harvesters died and six others were left fighting for their lives following an accident along the Mai Mahiu-Narok road.

The accident that involved a lorry ferrying sand occurred at Kigecha trading centre five kilometres from Mai Mahiu town.

The lorry that was allegedly speeding was avoiding hitting a motorcycle when the driver lost control and rolled.

Thirteen sand harvesters who were riding in the truck were buried by the sand with eight dying on the spot while the other were rescued by members of the public.

The driver and his conductor escaped with minor injuries during the 5pm accident that caused a major traffic snarl-up.

Emotions ran high as police, relatives and their workmates rushed to the scene to retrieve bodies and rescue those trapped under the lorry.

Incidentally all those who died were from the newly formed Pole Pole Youth group from Mai Mahiu youth group.

According to a witness Leonard Kalepe, the lorry had collected sand from Suswa and was heading to Mai Mahiu when the accident occurred.

Kalepe said that the driver tried evading ramming into an incoming motorcycle operator but he lost control with the heavy truck rolling several times.

"Thirteen sand loaders were thrown from the truck and covered in sand with eight of them dying on the spot," said the witness.

He said that it took members of the public over an hour to rescue and retrieve the bodies behind the sand and the mangled wrecks.

"Majority of the victims have died from suffocation as it was impossible to lift the heavy truck which clashed onto them," he said.

The chairman of the Mai Mahiu sand harvesters James Lengut said that the injured were rushed to Kijabe mission hospital.

He termed their condition as serious adding that many had suffered from fractures and head injuries following the accident.

While condoling the bereaved, Lengut admitted that the issue of transporting the sand loaders had been a challenge to them.

"The sand loaders do not have other means of transportation and have to rely on the trucks but we are seeking ways of addressing this," he said.

A senior police officer who declined to be named confirmed the accident saying that the bodies had been taken to the area mortuary.

"This was a self-involving accident and the injured have been admitted in various hospitals while the wreck has been towed to Mai Mahiu police station," said the officer.

Last year an accident involving a bus and sand truck occurred on the same spot killing five and injuring scores of others.