Five people die in separate road mishaps

The mangled remains of the lorry that was involved in an accident early yesterday morning on the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway is towed to Salgaa Police Station. Two people died on the spot.  [PHOTO: BONFACE THUKU/STANDARD]

By ANTONY GITONGA and MERCY KAHENDA

Nakuru, Kenya: Three people died on the spot when a trailer and a truck collided on the Naivasha-Mai Mahiu road.

The early morning accident near the Jikaze IDP camp in Mai Mahiu on Thursday left two other people seriously injured. The trailer was heading to Mai Mahiu before the accident. 

Those who perished were the occupants of the Canter truck, while the driver of the trailer and his conductor were rushed to Naivasha District Hospital in critical condition.

According to witnesses, the driver of the Canter was overtaking when he rammed the trailer. It took over an hour to rescue the two survivors from the mangled wreck of the trailer.

Naivasha OCPD Charles Kortok said initial investigations indicated that the Canter driver was to blame.

IDPs from the nearby camps carted away maize and mangoes that the two vehicles were ferrying. Police later managed to secure the cargo and keep the IDPs at bay.

Elsewhere, two people died and two others sustained serious injuries in another accident involving a lorry and a Canter in Migaa on the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway.

Nakuru Officer Commanding Police Division Bernard Kioko said the lorry was headed to Eldoret town while the Canter carrying maize was driving towards Nakuru town. “It happened around 4am,” said Mr Kioko.

The driver of the lorry is said to have lost control of the vehicle, leading to the collision.  Kioko said two occupants in the Canter died on the spot while the lorry driver and his co-driver were taken to the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital, where they were admitted.