Accident on Southern Bypass, Nairobi/SCREENGRAB
At least one person has died after a fuel tanker caught fire following a road accident along Nairobi’s Southern Bypass, police said.
The deceased was one of the drivers of the two trucks involved in the collision, which occurred near the Swaminarayan Tunnel Bridge behind the Carnivore Restaurant.
Another driver was rescued and rushed to the hospital, Lang’ata Sub-County Police Commander Pius Mwanthi confirmed.
The accident involved a lorry carrying bales of flour and a fuel tanker. Following the collision, the fuel tanker slid into the bridge and ignited.
Accident on Southern Bypass, Nairobi/SCREENGRAB
Emergency services, including firefighters, Red Cross personnel, and police officers, were deployed to the scene.
Authorities temporarily closed the busy Southern Bypass to contain the fire, manage traffic, and prevent further risks from spilt fuel. Mwanthi said the scene is now being cleared.
Relatives and friends of the victim broke down in tears as the body was retrieved from the crash site. Police had to disperse some onlookers gathered at the scene, citing safety concerns due to the potential for a secondary explosion.
“The accident has claimed one life involving the driver of the lorry carrying flour, while the tanker driver was taken to hospital,” Mwanthi said.
Police warned that fuel-related accidents pose serious risks. Similar incidents in the past have led to multiple fatalities, including a 2009 tanker accident in Sachangwan, Nakuru County, that killed more than 100 people.
Accident on Southern Bypass, Nairobi/SCREENGRAB
Accident on Southern Bypass, Nairobi/SCREENGRAB