Several people are feared dead and others injured following a multiple-vehicle accident at Salgaa along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway.
The crash happened on Saturday afternoon near Simba Cement, where several vehicles, including a long-distance truck, were involved.
Police and emergency response teams arrived at the scene as efforts to rescue those trapped and clear the wreckage got underway.
Images and footage from the scene showed several badly damaged vehicles, while ambulances were seen responding to the accident.
A witness described the situation as serious, saying the crash had also caused major disruption along the busy highway.
The witness said the driver of the truck involved in the crash had died, while the turnboy survived.
“We are really having a bad situation here at Salgaa following a very nasty road accident involving multiple vehicles. Youth have blocked the road. The driver of the truck has been confirmed to have died; however, the turnboy has made it out alive,” the witness said.
The situation was further complicated after some local youths reportedly blocked part of the highway following the accident.
The Local Drivers and Conductors Association (LODDCA) urged motorists using the route to approach the area carefully as emergency teams continued working at the scene.
“Accident alert. Just now! At Salgaa Simba Cement. Approach with caution,” LODDCA said.
The exact number of people who died or were injured had not been confirmed by the time of publication.
The accident has also caused heavy traffic along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway, with motorists forced to slow down as rescue operations continue.
Drivers heading towards or from the affected section have been advised to exercise caution.
Salgaa accident history
Salgaa has long been associated with serious road accidents, earning a reputation as one of the dangerous sections along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway.
One of the area’s worst accidents happened in 2009 when an overturned oil tanker caused a fire that killed more than 100 people.
The tanker had spilled fuel after overturning, attracting members of the public who went to collect the leaking fuel before it caught fire.
The latest crash has once again raised concerns about safety along the busy highway, although the circumstances that led to Saturday’s accident were yet to be established.
