Three more succumb to injuries in Tragic Iguhu yala bridge accident

Kakamega, 

Thursday, 14 November, 2024 

McCreadie Andias 

Three more have succumbed to injuries sustained at the tragic, Iguhu River Yala Bridge accident, taking the death toll to 13.

This comes after 10 were killed and atleast 20 injured in the accident that took place at the Kisumu-Kakamega highway on Wednesday 13 November, 2024 at night hours. 

While updating the media on the incident, Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa stated that three more died while undergoing treatment at the Kakamega County General Hospital.

First incident report indicates that Seven of the deceased had died on the spot while three succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment at Iguhu Sub-County Hospital.

“The tanker was speeding from Kisumu heading to Kakamega when it hit a bump before it lost control and hit two oncoming matatu vehicles, seven people died on the spot and other three died while in various hospitals,” Ikolomani OCPD James Makau said. 

Preliminary police reports indicate that a tanker traveling from Kisumu toward Kakamega reportedly hit a bump, causing the driver to lose control and veer into the oncoming lane, where it rammed into two Public Service Vehicles (PSVs), Matrans Sacco and a 14-seater Transline Sacco which were driving at the oncoming lane. 

“On reaching at the location of the accident, he hit a bump, lost control of the Motor vehicle and veered to the right side of the road as one faces Kakamega direction and hit two vehicles,” read the report.

Makau said police have launched a manhunt for the driver of the tanker and his co-driver who are suspected to have escaped after the fatal accident.

“We are currently going on with rescue and we have taken several people in various hospitals including Kakamega General Hospital, Mbale General Hospital, and Iguhu Sub-County Hospital but at the time of the accident, the driver of the tanker and his co-driver were not at the scene and we suspect they escaped but police have launched manhunt so that they can help us in our investigations to know what happened,” said Makau.

The deceased were moved to Kakamega General Referral Hospital’s morgue for identification and post-mortem examinations.

locals are now urging the government to put more well-marked bumps on the road to reduce the number of accidents and if possible, this highway should have high mast lights because it is always dark due to the river and bushy area.