Wreckage of burnt trailers that burst into flames after getting involved in a road accident along the busy Nairobi- Mombasa highway in Athi River, Machakos county on March 2, 2026./GEORGE OWITI

One person has died, while another one sustained serious injuries in a grisly road accident along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway in Machakos county.

Police said the man died on the spot after a trailer he was driving burst into flames in an accident that involved two motor vehicles.

Both the trailers were moving from the Mombasa general direction towards Nairobi when the accident occurred near Green Park estate in Athi River Subcounty.

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The injured person is said to be a turnboy of the motor vehicle whose driver was burnt to ashes.

Two occupants of the other trailer, a driver and his turnboy, escaped unhurt.

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"The accident happened at around 5 am this morning. The two trailers that were moving from Mombasa general direction towards Nairobi burst into flames after one hit another from behind.

"The driver of one of the motor vehicles was burnt to death, his turnboy sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a hospital," a police officer told the Star at the scene on Monday.

The body was burnt to ashes in the cabin.

Eyewitnesses said they couldn't help rescue the motor vehicle's occupants since they burst into flames immediately the accident occurred.

"We rescued a turnboy who had been thrown out on the road due to the impact of the accident. We helped place him into an ambulance while the driver, who was trapped in the cabin burnt to ashes after both the motor vehicles burst into flames," Swaleh Mutinda said.

The incident led to a heavy traffic snarl-up on the highway.

Police responded to the scene and helped manage traffic.

The fire brigade from the County Government of Machakos helped in extinguishing the fire.

One of the motor vehicles whose cabin had detached from the chassis was still burning by press time.

Police at some point diverted all motorists to one lane, the Nairobi-Mombasa lane, since the wreckage had blocked the other lane.

Efforts to remove the wreckage from the scene are ongoing.

Some youth thronged the scene and helped put out the fire, while others vandalised burnt wreckage and stole motorvehicle spare parts.