Family perishes in grisly road accident on Embu-Mwea highway


Embu, Kenya: A family of four perished in a grisly road accident after the car they were travelling in collided with a lorry along the Embu–Mwea highway in Kirinyaga County.

A father, his wife and two children, who died were driving from Embu towards Mwea direction when their car rammed into the oncoming truck. The truck was trying to overtake another lorry headed towards Embu when the accident occurred at around 11p.m. The area is marked as a blackspot.

County Police Commander David Bunei said the driver of the car could have been speeding or underestimated the speed of the oncoming car, leading to a head on collision on the Nyamindi River bridge section of the busy highway.

The couple died on the spot while the children succumbed to injuries at the Embu Level 4 hospital where they had been rushed to.

"Two of the occupants died on the spot while the other two succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment," Bunei said.

The driver of the lorry escaped unscathed and is helping with investigations.

Police say the deceased man was an employee of Kenya Power and Lighting Company based in Kerugoya town.