At least five people died on Monday evening following a grisly road accident that occurred in the Mbaruk area of Gilgil, along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway.
According to a police report, the accident, which happened at around 6:30 pm, occurred after a personal car lost control and rammed into an oncoming truck before being hit by a trailer.
According to some witnesses, the driver of the car was attempting to overtake another vehicle on the single-lane highway when the vehicle collided head-on with the truck.
Speaking to the press moments after the accident, Nakuru County Traffic Officer Allan Ogolla disclosed that all five occupants of the private car, among them an infant, lost their lives on the spot.
Videos and images obtained by Kenyans.co.ke showed the personal car extensively damaged, with the footage further depicting the vehicle in flames.
Crowds quickly gathered to witness the unfolding scene as rescuers intensified their efforts to retrieve those trapped under the wreckage of the accident.
While police officers have since launched investigations into the fatal crash, the accident resulted in a huge traffic snarl-up along the busy road, forcing motorists to seek alternative routes.
The latest incident adds to the number of road accidents witnessed along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway over the past two months. Barely a fortnight ago, two people, including a ten-year-old boy, lost their lives in an accident along the same route.
The accident, which occurred on July 17, left ten others nursing serious injuries. According to eyewitnesses, it involved a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) and a trailer loaded with logs.
Witnesses further revealed that the accident occurred after the trailer reportedly lost control and rammed into a 14-seater matatu, killing two people instantly.
Following the accident, the bodies were taken to Nakuru City Mortuary for identification and preservation, even as police moved to address the traffic snarl-up caused by the crash.
Meanwhile, residents who live along the highway, particularly within the Gilgil area, have on several occasions raised concerns over the poor state of the road, which they claim has resulted in multiple deaths.
Despite the government's initial promise to commence the expansion of the busy highway in August, no work has since begun, with concerns raised over the legitimacy of the promise.
