At least five people, including an infant, lost their lives on Monday evening following a grisly road accident in the Mbaruk area of Gilgil, along the busy Nakuru-Eldoret Highway.
The tragic crash occurred around 6:30 p.m. when a private car, reportedly attempting to overtake another vehicle on the single-lane stretch, collided head-on with an oncoming truck. The impact of the collision caused the car to veer off, only to be struck moments later by a trailer trailing behind.
According to Nakuru County Traffic Officer Allan Ogolla, all five occupants of the private car — two men, two women, and a child — died on the spot. “Initial investigations point to reckless overtaking as the likely cause of this fatal crash,” Ogolla said while addressing the press at the scene.
Eyewitnesses recounted the horrifying moment the car crashed into the truck, describing a loud bang followed by scenes of chaos as onlookers rushed to help. “The car was trying to overtake but didn’t have enough time to get back in the lane. It hit the truck head-on,” one witness said.
Rescue teams and police officers responded quickly, working to retrieve the bodies trapped in the mangled wreckage. The accident attracted large crowds, which further complicated rescue efforts and worsened an already growing traffic snarl-up.
The incident caused significant disruption to traffic flow, with motorists forced to seek alternative routes as the road remained temporarily impassable.
Authorities have launched a formal investigation into the accident and urged drivers to observe caution, especially along accident-prone stretches of the highway.
The tragic crash adds to the rising number of fatalities on Kenyan roads, prompting renewed calls for stricter enforcement of traffic laws and improved road safety awareness.