38 people die and 87 are injured in Senegal bus accident, fire brigade says 

40 people die and 85 are injured as two buses collide in Senegal, fire brigade says

40 people were killed and 85 were injured when two buses collided in Senegal. The tragedy took place in Kaffrine in the central part of the west African nation. All of the victims were evacuated to a Kaffrine hospital and medical centre. Road accidents are common in Senegal, but this is among the worst death tolls 

By Stewart Carr For Mailonline

Published: 05:48 EST, 8 January 2023 | Updated: 05:56 EST, 8 January 2023

40 people are confirmed dead and 85 were injured when two buses collided near Kaffrine in central Senegal today, a fire brigade official from the western African nation said.

'It was a serious accident', said Colonel Cheikh Fall, who is in charge of operations for Senegal's National Fire Brigade. 'There were 125 victims, of whom 38 have died.'

Following the accident, which took place on the No. 1 national road at 3.15 am local time on Sunday morning, all the victims were evacuated to a Kaffrine hospital and medical centre, he said.

The wreckage and demolished buses have since been cleared and normal traffic has resumed, he said.

The governor and local officials have visited the scene, he added.

Road accidents are common in Senegal, largely because of driver indiscipline, poor roads and decrepit vehicles, say experts.

However this is one of the heaviest death tolls from a single incident in recent years.