One person died while others were injured in an accident that involved two petrol vehicles and a canter lorry at Mukhonje Market, Matete Sub-County.
According to the police, a petrol tanker, headed towards Webuye rammed into a canter after being hit from behind by another loaded petrol truck.
Police say the impact caused an explosion to the front truck causing it to catch fire that immediately lit the other fully loaded petrol truck behind.
Matete Sub-County OCPD Gifinalis Barasa said the 17:45pm incident left one person, believed to be a boda boda rider, dead, with other two drivers escaping with burns and are now hospitalised.
Barasa added that two shops at the market were partially burned including a section of the tarmacked road that has been damaged completely.
“It took the effort of fire fighters from Kakamega and Bungoma Counties to put off the deadly petrol fire that consumed shops and close to half kilometre road section,” Barasa said.
The sub-county police boss said it took several hours to control the fire which has left a trail of destruction around the market.
Barasa said they are still investigating the incident to ascertain if other people were caught up in the fire and haven’t been established. He has called on the truck drivers to be extra careful as they approach Mukhonje and Chimoi area because of the road’s steepness and several corners.
Mukhonje residents however have once again appealed to the government to expand Eldoret-Webuye Highway due to the increasing road accidents.
By Geoffrey Satia
