At least five people are feared dead following a fatal crash at Kikopey, Gilgil, along the Nakuru–Nairobi Highway, authorities and eyewitnesses confirm.
The crash involved a Great Rift 14-seater matatu and a trailer, reportedly caused by brake failure on the truck.
Eyewitnesses described the crash as catastrophic, with the matatu severely damaged and fears rising over numerous casualties.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Nakuru County Police Commander Emmanuel Opuru said authorities are still assessing the full extent of the tragedy.
“We have received the report of the incident, and we can confirm that we have dispatched teams and emergency units to respond to the incident,” he said.
According to the matatu’s driver, Shadrack Almasi, he was caught off guard when the vehicle was hit and crushed against another vehicle that was stationary, leading to the immediate death of five people.
Motorists have been advised to exercise caution along the highway as traffic snarl-ups continue due to the accident. Emergency responders and traffic authorities are at the scene, managing the flow and assisting victims.
Traffic congestion has been exacerbated by a large crowd of locals gathered at the scene, some of whom are assisting with rescue efforts.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with teams working to extract trapped passengers and transport the injured to nearby hospitals.
Konza Accident
The incident comes less than 24 hours after a multi-vehicle accident along Mombasa Road at Konza City in Machakos County on Thursday night, which left eight people dead.
The crash involved a shuttle headed to Loitoktok, a lorry, and a Tahmeed bus travelling from Mombasa. Authorities confirmed that all the reported casualties were passengers aboard the shuttle.
Voi Accident
In a separate incident, a grisly road accident occurred at the Miesenyi area in Voi along the Nairobi–Mombasa Highway, involving a Janam bus.
The bus, travelling from Busia via Nairobi to Mombasa, was involved in the crash, leaving several passengers injured. The exact number of casualties had not been established at the time of reporting.
Images and videos from the scene showed the bus lying on its side, with some passengers outside the vehicle as bystanders and emergency responders assisted.
