- Twenty-three students from St. Thomas Aquinas Igumori School were injured in a road accident in Mbeere South.
- The learners were travelling to a music festival competition when the school bus overturned.
- Five students were referred to Embu Level 5 Hospital as investigations into the crash begin.
By Brian Kaleti
Twenty-three students from St. Thomas Aquinas Igumori School were injured on Wednesday after a school bus they were travelling in overturned along the Kiritiri–Kiambere Road in Mbeere South.
The students were heading to Ngenge Secondary School to participate in a music festival competition when the accident occurred.
Bus lost control
According to the school’s principal, Paul Mwaniki, the bus lost control, veered off the road, and overturned on a section of the road currently under construction.
The accident left several students with injuries of varying severity.
Mwaniki said the bus was carrying 41 students and three teachers at the time of the incident. Of the students on board, 23 sustained injuries.
Some referred for specialized treatment
Eighteen students were treated and discharged at Kiritiri Level 4 Hospital, while five others were referred to Embu Level 5 Hospital for specialized treatment.
Witnesses at the scene alleged that the road surface had become slippery after water was spilled by a contractor undertaking construction works along the stretch, possibly contributing to the crash.
Investigations underway
Emergency responders, police officers, and members of the public swiftly mobilized to rescue the students from the wreckage.
The injured were rushed to nearby health facilities for treatment.
Authorities have launched investigations to establish the exact cause of the accident.
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School officials and local leaders later visited some of the injured students as concerns mounted over safety along the busy road, which is currently undergoing construction.
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