Kenya Gas Truck Explosion Engulfs Nairobi Cylinder Depot, Resulting in 3 Fatalities – Reuters

By Humphrey Malalo and Thomas Mukoya

NAIROBI – A gas truck explosion in the capital city of Kenya, Nairobi, resulted in a massive fireball lighting up the night sky and led to at least three deaths and approximately 300 injuries, according to authorities and first responders on Friday.

Residents near the explosion witnessed a towering column of flames shooting into the air just before midnight, which briefly created a mushroom cloud, as captured in verified social media footage.

The government reported that three individuals had perished in the blast at a gas refilling facility, with 280 others receiving treatment at various hospitals in Nairobi. The Kenyan Red Cross indicated that additional victims were being treated at a triage station.

The fire spread to an adjacent textile and garment warehouse, causing damage to multiple vehicles and both commercial and residential properties, as noted by the government.

Survivor Edwin Machio recounted his harrowing experience, stating, “The fire caught up with me from almost one kilometre away as I was escaping.” He showed his injuries, revealing burns on his neck, shoulders, and upper arms.

Images from the scene depicted a body covered with a blanket while smoke engulfed surrounding buildings.

Last year, Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) had previously denied three requests for construction permits for a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) storage and refilling facility at the explosion site, citing the area’s high population density.

EPRA further mentioned that they had requested a risk assessment from the applicant, detailing potential blast scenarios, but this assessment was never provided. The ownership of the site remains unclear.