14 Killed, Dozen Injured in Lodwar-Kakuma Highway Accident

Fourteen people have lost their lives and a dozen others were seriously injured in a grisly road accident along the Lodwar- Kakuma highway in Turkana County.

The accident which occurred at around 10pm involved a lorry they were travelling in losing and swerving off the Road landing on a culvert by the roadside.

Those killed include eight female adults, three male adults and three other young men.

According to the National Police Service (NPS), the Saturday night incident is believed to have occurred when the 33-year-old driver of the Isuzu lorry came across a camel crossing the road and was forced to swerve off the road to avoid running over the animal.

"Unfortunately, due to the heavy weight of the vehicle from the goods and the passengers onboard, the driver lost control of the vehicle. As a result, the vehicle overturned and landed in a culvert on the right side of the road causing injuries to the passengers and the vehicle extensively damaged," wrote NPS on Twitter.

"The heavy impact of the accident resulted in the death of 14 passengers on the spot while the remaining 12 passengers sustained various injuries."

According to the survivors, the 32-year-old driver is said to have complained of chest pains before the crash.

The driver was also carrying assorted goods at the time of the crash.

The injured were rushed to Lodwar County and Referral Hospital by the County ambulance for treatment.

The vehicles were towed to Lodwar Police Station pending inspection and comprehensive investigations into the cause of the accident.

Peter Lomurukai, the chief officer for Health in Tukrana county confirmed that they had received victims from the accident and that they were in stable condition.