Early Monday morning, Mombasa Road near Greenpark Estate was engulfed in smoke and fire after two transit trailers collided around 5:40 a.m. causing deaths and shutting down the Nairobi-bound carriageway. By mid-morning, traffic had backed up nearly five kilometres, leaving commuters stranded.
“It sounded like an explosion,” said Peter Mwangi, a commuter heading towards Nairobi. “Within seconds, the whole road was covered in smoke. We couldn’t see ahead.”
Eyewitnesses reported that one of the trailers, believed to be heading to Nairobi, rammed into the other near the junction. The impact triggered a violent blast, quickly engulfing both trucks in flames. Thick smoke forced approaching drivers to brake abruptly or turn back, adding to the chaos.
Emergency crews, including firefighters and traffic police, arrived shortly after the collision. Videos circulating online showed towering flames and twisted metal as responders battled the inferno. By mid-morning, teams were still working to contain the fire, wary of the unknown cargo on board.
The crash brought one of Kenya’s busiest highways to a standstill. Commuters and long-distance travellers were stranded, with some abandoning their vehicles to watch from a safe distance, while others diverted through feeder roads in Athi River.
Police at the scene urged drivers to remain patient. Slowing down to observe the emergency response, officers warned, could increase the risk of secondary accidents.
Recovery operations were expected to take several hours. The trucks had to cool before being towed away. Authorities have not confirmed whether there were fatalities or injuries.
Preliminary investigations are examining possible causes, including speeding, mechanical failure, or driver error, common factors in heavy vehicle accidents along the Mombasa–Nairobi corridor.
Mombasa Road is a vital artery linking the Port of Mombasa to Nairobi and beyond. Thousands of freight trucks use the highway daily, and road safety experts have long highlighted sections of the corridor as high-risk due to the mix of commercial and private vehicles.
Police said a full statement would be released once investigations and recovery efforts are complete.
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