By Salla Gueye

The whole country is shaken by the terrible road accident causing at least 40 deaths (provisional report). The tragedy took place on the night of Saturday to Sunday, at 3:15 a.m., near the town of Kaffrine, about 250 km southeast of the capital Dakar, according to the National Fire Brigade.

For the Public Prosecutor at the High Court of Kaolack, it is the bursting of a tire of one of the vehicles involved which is the cause of this accident.

“According to the first elements of the investigation by the judicial police, a bus assigned to public passenger transport, following the bursting of a tire, left its trajectory before colliding head-on with another bus coming in the opposite direction. “, said Cheikh Dieng, through a note.

It should be noted that the Minister of the Interior as well as his colleagues in charge of Health, Land Transport, National Solidarity, among others, are expected in Kaffrine.

In the meantime, the victims were transported to Kaffrine hospital, the carcasses of the buses cleared and the road reopened to traffic, according to the firefighters. The governor and the prefect had gone to the scene, according to the national fire brigade.

The President of the Republic Macky Sall decreed a three-day national mourning, starting Monday, January 9, following this serious accident which occurred on the night of Saturday to Sunday in Kaffrine (center), killing 40 people, according to a first assessment.

The Head of State also announced that an inter-ministerial council will be held on the same date for “taking firm measures on road safety and public passenger transport”.