One person was killed and three others seriously injured in a multiple accident near Chuka town along the Meru-Embu road.
The accident occurred on Friday night when a rear tyre of an oil tanker burst making the driver to lose control on a steep slope hitting two boda boda riders and a saloon car that were crossing Naka Bridge towards the opposite direction.
An eye witness, Francis Muchangi said the first boda boda rider died on the spot while his customer and the driver of the salon car sustained broken limbs. The second cyclist also sustained minor injuries.
“I was walking home from my place of work when this oil tanker that was heading towards Meru got a rear tyre puncture clashing on the first boda boda before hitting a Toyota 100 salon and finally bruising a second boda boda before it was stopped by the rails,” Muchangi narrated.
He said both the boda boda’s customer and the driver of the salon car sustained broken legs and arms while the second boda boda rider sustained some injuries as the tanker was stopped by guardrail along the roadside.
The Tharaka Nithi County fire and rescue team leader, Alex Mugambi said after a quick response and taking the victims to Chuka hospital for treatment, they returned to secure the scene from hundreds of unscrupulous Chuka residents who were moving in with the intention of sipping fuel from the tanker oblivious of the danger involved.
He cautioned drivers to be very cautious while driving at night and the residents from approaching fuel tanker reminding them of prior fire incidences that have been caused by overturning tankers.
Meanwhile, a primary school in the same county is calling for assistance after strong winds blew off the roofs and demolished classrooms walls, injuring two pupils yesterday.
Roofs and semi-permanent walls of classrooms of Kanthakame primary school in Tharaka constituency were demolished and two class two pupils injured as they tried to escape from the wrath of the whirlwind.
The school head teacher, Mwangangi Mutegi said the strong winds left destruction of about three million shillings, and most pupils will have no other alternative than learning under trees in their school’s compound, next week.
“The injured pupils were rushed to St. Orsola Matiiri hospital where they were treated and discharged, “said Mutegi.
The head teacher is now appealing to both the national and county governments as well as well-wishers to urgently come to their aid and help in putting up classrooms to enhance good learning before the rains come and national examinations begin.
By David Mutwiri
