Outering Road Blocked After Fuel Tanker Bursts Into Flames [VIDEO]

Videos shared all over social media showed a huge cloud of smoke billowing from the raging inferno which was consuming the tanker as horrified residents watched from a distance.

Marvin Chege Marvin Chege
Aug 9, 2023 - 22:30 Updated: Aug 9, 2023 - 22:34
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Outering Road Blocked After Fuel Tanker Bursts Into Flames [VIDEO]
Scene as a fire consumes a fuel tanker along Outering Road on August 9, 2023. /VIRALTEAKE

The busy Outering Road in Nairobi was on Wednesday evening, August 9 ground to a halt following an accident in which a tanker carrying petroleum products burst into flames.

Speaking to Viral Tea, eyewitnesses at the scene revealed that the accident occurred at the Mathare Valley along Outering Road with the ill-fated tanker blocking traffic headed towards Thika Road.

Videos shared all over social media showed a huge cloud of smoke billowing from the raging inferno which was consuming the tanker as horrified residents watched from a distance.

The Petroleum Outlets Association of Kenya (POAK), an umbrella body, that brings together the Major Local Stake Holders in the Retail Distribution of Petroleum Products in Kenya, advised motorists to approach the busy road with caution.

Here is the video:

"A tanker carrying petroleum products has caught fire at the Mathare Valley area on Outering road. Approach with caution," POAK stated.

Preliminary reports indicated that the fuel tanker had hit a small car along the road at Kariobangi North Bridge, causing it to explode. The clips shared online also captured loud bangs that drew the attention of residents.

One of the eyewitnesses told Viral Tea that traffic from Outering Road aiming to connect towards Thika Road had diverted to surrounding residential areas.

At the time of publishing this story, fire and rescue teams had not arrived on the scene, with the number of injuries and casualties yet to be determined.

Earlier on Wednesday, one person died after a fuel tanker caught fire in an accident on the Malaba-Webuye highway at Sikata in Kanduyi, Bungoma town.

Bungoma County Police Commander Francis Kooli confirmed the morning incident that left the tanker driver dead, adding that the driver of the trailer, which was heading to Malaba from Webuye, lost control due to what appeared to be a brake failure.

The driver avoided a head-on collision with a matatu and veered off the road, hitting an electric pole before the vehicle burst into flames. While the matatu passengers were successfully rescued by residents, the truck driver was unable to escape the flames.

Residents criticised the slow response of the Bungoma County Fire Service, claiming that their delayed arrival hampered rescue efforts.

"We blame the county government, this is the second incident this week, when we call the fire brigade they say their truck has no fuel. When we called today we were told the firemen were off duty and had gone home. Why are they being paid?" lamented one resident.

Kooli, on the other hand, thanked the firefighters for their quick response, adding that they managed to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby houses.

He also warned against residents running to the scene of an accident, risking their lives and making it harder for the emergency services to respond.

Fuel tanker accident in Sikata Area along Webuye-Malaba Highway on August 9, 2023. /SCREENGRAB

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