Scores of Kenya Defense Officers were injured some seriously after a vehicle they were travelling in hit a private car that burst into flames at the notorious Kinungi black spot along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.
The officers from attached to the Military Police were heading to Nakuru when their driver hit a private vehicle before it burst into flames.
The accident came a few days after the National Transport and Safety Authority termed the highway as the leading in the number of accidents.
In the latest incident, the officers were believed to have been carrying dangerous weapons as immediately after the accident the highway was closed for close to one hour before their colleagues from the Gilgil arrived.
Residents recounted how they heard a loud bang before checking on what was going on and saw huge smoke billowing from the scene of the accident.
A resident John Gitau who was first to arrive at the scene compared the situation to two years ago when a similar accident involving a GSU vehicle and 10 others exploded after a collision at Karai about 3 kms from the scene of today’s accident.
Gitau said they rushed to save the occupant of the private vehicle before it fully exploded adding that it was by the grace of God that he came out alive.
“He was quick to remove the safety belt before the fire spread to the front side of the vehicle and we broke the wind screen to help him jump out”.
He said the area has been witnessing fatal accidents despite the erection of bumps and called on motorists to be careful.
“We witness about three fatal accidents each week and if it’s not vehicles that have collided then it is usually pedestrians who are hit by speeding cars”.
According to the driver of the vehicle that was burnt Peter Munyambu, the military vehicle was in high speed when he was hit.
Munyambu said he tried as much evading a head on collision but it was too late as the officers’ vehicle hit him on the rear side before his vehicle exploded.
“I escaped without injuries but the officers in the military land cruiser including their driver were injured and were taken to a hospital in a military ambulance that coincidentally was passing through that highway”.
A senior police officer who declined to be named confirmed the incident saying the injured officers were taken to a hospital in Naivasha by the military ambulance and were later referred to Nairobi for further treatment.