At least six people were killed in a grisly road accident after a Mitsubishi Fuso lorry rammed into the rear of a trailer along the Marsabit-Isiolo Highway early Friday morning.
The crash occurred at about 3am at the Hula Hula area near Kargi Junction in Marsabit County.
Police said a Mercedes-Benz Actros trailer, was being driven from Marsabit towards Isiolo.
The driver was accompanied by a passenger.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the trailer was struck from behind by a Mitsubishi Fuso lorry, which was travelling in the same direction.
The impact left the Fuso’s cabin extensively damaged, killing the driver and four passengers on the spot. Another occupant was rushed to Marsabit Referral Hospital but succumbed to injuries on arrival, bringing the death toll to six.
Police said they retrieved for identification the victims, whose bodies remained trapped inside the mangled cabin for hours.
The trailer driver and his passenger were not reported to have sustained fatal injuries.
Investigators attributed the crash to a rear-end collision under conditions of poor visibility, noting that it was dark at the time of the accident. The road surface was tarmacked and properly marked.
The scene was documented by traffic officers, while arrangements were being made to tow both damaged vehicles to the police station for inspection as investigations continue.
Police said at least 17 people died in separate accidents on Thursday alone.
The victims included eight passengers, four pedestrians, two pillion passengers, two riders and a driver. Police said the accidents left 27 people with serious injuries and included 14 passengers, ten riders and two pillion passengers.
At least seven people were killed and eight others seriously injured in a road crash involving a trailer and two matatus along the Eldoret-Nakuru Road in Ainabkoi Sub-County, Uasin Gishu County.
According to the police, the accident occurred at about 8:30pm on Thursday at the Mlima Punda.
The crash involved a Mercedes Actros trailer, a Toyota Hiace matatu belonging to Bluemarks Shuttle, and another Toyota Hiace.
According to preliminary police investigations, the trailer was travelling from Nakuru towards Eldoret when its driver allegedly attempted to overtake while descending a hill, veering into the path of the two oncoming matatus.
The trailer collided head-on with both vehicles, leaving the driver of the Bluemarks Shuttle matatu and six of his passengers dead at the scene.
Eight other passengers sustained serious injuries and were rushed to Burnt Forest Hospital for treatment.
Such accidents have a negative impact on families as the loved ones who are breadwinners die leaving many suffering.
Fatal accidents have been on the rise amid efforts to address the menace.
Officials say reckless overtaking, speeding, and drunk driving remain among the leading causes of road accidents across the country, continuing to claim lives despite sustained public safety campaigns by National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).
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