Five people were on Thursday confirmed dead and many others injured in an accident on Thika Road at Juja’s Weighbridge.
The accident, involving a Kenya Mpya bus and a truck carrying sand which was heading to Ruiru from Ndarugo, happened when the truck lost control. The truck had allegedly tried to avoid hitting pedestrians crossing the road at a pedestrian crossing when the speeding bus hit it from behind.
The bus veered off the road and hit one person while those in the bus' front seats died on the spot.
The truck did not hit anyone as the driver fought to get it off the highway. The accident caused heavy traffic congestion along the Highway that had backed up all the way from Witeithie.
Those involved in the accident were taken to Kalimoni Mission Hospital.
One passenger died immediately on arrival to the hospital.
Thika traffic base commander Ms Apelles Chacha said that she arrived at the scene some minutes after the accident and noted with concern the accident cause was an overloaded lorry and a speeding bus that had also overloaded.
She said police have been able to contain the situation on the Thika Road adding operations have resumed to normal
Ms Chacha said 18 injured passengers were taken to hospital after the accident.