The death toll of the Gilgil accident involving a 14-seater matatu and a truck has risen to 16. The crash happened on Sunday afternoon near Kikopey, along the Nakuru–Nairobi highway.
Thirteen people, died on the spot, while three others who had been rushed to the hospital later succumbed to their injuries. Among those who passed away were two children who died on Monday.
All the 13 victims, including the driver, were members of the same family. They were traveling to Rongai to attend a family function. Among the deceased is a man, his wife, and their five children. And another woman with her two daughters.
According to Nakuru County Police Commander Emmanuel Opuru, the Nakuru-bound matatu was overtaking when it collided head-on with a truck.
Gilgil Accident Survivor Narrates of Moments before Crash
A survivor, Steven Wairoro, who was driving a Subaru just behind the matatu, described what he saw.
According to him, the matatu involved in the crash was recklessly overtaking when the collision occurred.
“The road at that section is very narrow, a known black spot. The matatu suddenly swerved into the lane of an oncoming trailer, despite the loud honk from the truck’s driver,” the survivor narrated.
“I had just pulled back to my lane after overtaking when I saw the matatu speed ahead without caution. I think the driver may have fallen asleep or completely ignored the danger.”
The survivor described was forcd to swerve off the road to avoid the wreck.
“I was lucky because my vehicle was just behind the matatu. In that moment, all I could do was swerve slightly and try to keep control. The matatu didn’t move back, and that’s when the head-on collision happened.”
Wairoro added that he was lucky to escape but later injured his hand while rescuing a child from the wreckage. He managed to pull the child through a window before other residents joined in the rescue effort.
The impact left the matatu badly mangled at the front. Vehicle parts and personal items were scattered across the road.
The trailer was forced off the road, with part of its body lying across the tarmac and the rest overturned into a ditch.
This blocked a section of the busy highway and caused a major traffic build-up from Kikopey, with motorists stranded for hours.
This fatal crash happened just hours after another accident on the same highway near Kimende, where six people died.
In that case, an ambulance from St. Mary’s Mission Hospital, Elementaita, crashed while rushing a critically ill patient, killing the patient, her husband and two other relatives, a nurse, and the driver instantly.
By Vivian K.