10 people killed in Gilgil accident

The wreckage of a fourteen-seater matatu at Gigil Police Station after it rammed into a stalled trailer at Kariandusi along the Nairobi–Nakuru Highway on Friday night. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Ten people died on Friday night in a grisly road crash that occurred at Kariandusi in Gilgil along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway.

Gilgil Sub County Police Commander Wilstone Mwakio told The Sunday Standard that a fourteen-seater matatu rammed into a stationary trailer at the scene of accident.

"It was around 9:30pm on Friday. A matatu bound for Nakuru from Nairobi hit from the rear, a trailer that had stalled on the highway," said Mwakio.

The sub county police commander said that ten people died on the spot.

"It seems the matatu driver may have been speeding or didn't see the trailer ahead in time. All the ten casualties were on board the matatu," said Mwakio.

Another five people survived the accident with serious injuries.

"We have five people in critical condition, also passengers of the matatu. They are currently admitted at the Gilgil Sub County Hospital. Bodies of the deceased were also moved to the same hospital's mortuary," said Mwakio.

He added that investigations into the accident are still on.

The accident comes at a time the government is expanding the highway from Rironi in Kiambu to Mau Summit in Nakuru into a dual carriage way.