A major road disaster has unfolded along the Nairobi–Nakuru Highway near Kikopey, where a heavy goods trailer broadsided a matatu carrying passengers, leaving multiple people critically injured and several feared dead in one of the worst traffic incidents recorded in the region this year. Emergency responders and eyewitnesses describe scenes of chaos and urgency as authorities rush to stabilise the stretch of road and evacuate survivors.
Preliminary reports indicate that the trailer, en route to Nairobi from the Rift Valley, lost control while negotiating a bend near Kikopey and collided head-on with the matatu heading in the opposite direction, crushing the passenger vehicle and trapping occupants under twisted metal. The force of the impact reportedly caused the matatu to flip repeatedly before coming to a halt in a roadside ditch. Witnesses described the scene as “horrific and devastating.”
Paramedics from nearby towns, including Naivasha and Nakuru, have been deployed to the scene, alongside police traffic units and volunteer rescue teams.
Victims with serious injuries — including multiple fractures, head trauma, and lacerations — are being airlifted and transported to referral hospitals in Nairobi and Nakuru as drivers work to clear the wreckage and free those still trapped. Authorities have not yet released an official death toll but confirmed that several fatalities are feared based on the condition of the crash site.
“This is a devastating incident,” said a senior officer on the ground. “We are focusing on saving lives while investigating the cause of the collision.”
Traffic has been temporarily suspended in both directions as heavy machinery removes debris, but long delays and secondary jam conditions are already reported, stranding motorists for miles outside the accident zone.
Investigators are examining whether speeding, brake failure, or driver fatigue contributed to the crash, with early accounts suggesting that the trailer may have lost control before crossing into the matatu’s path. Officials have urged motorists to avoid the area and allow emergency crews unhindered access.
Families of passengers reportedly affected by the crash are converging at hospitals and police stations, seeking information on loved ones amid growing concern and urgency. Further updates are expected as rescue operations continue and authorities release confirmed casualty figures.
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