Fire contained after a fuel tanker explodes into flames following an accident along Southern bypass

The Nairobi Southern Bypass remains closed to traffic following a significant accident on Saturday morning involving a fuel tanker that fell from an overpass. The vehicle reportedly lost control and plunged from the highway onto the underpass road that serves the Shree Cutch Satsang Swaminarayan Academy in Lang'ata. Upon impact, the tanker ruptured and burst into a massive fire, sending thick black smoke over the surrounding residential and school zones.

Nairobi police boss George Seda confirmed that emergency responders were dispatched to the site to manage the blaze and prevent it from reaching nearby structures. While the fire has been contained by county fire services, the bypass remains strictly cordoned off. The incident occurred at a critical structural point where the bypass elevated section crosses over the local access road leading to the Swaminarayan Mandir and the academy.

The wreckage of the truck was destroyed, and specialized teams are now managing the cooling of the metal and the containment of hazardous residues on the lower roadway.

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has not yet cleared the section for reopening, citing the need for a comprehensive structural assessment. Fuel-fed fires create extreme thermal stress that can deteriorate reinforced concrete and damage the load-bearing capacity of highway bridges. Until engineers can verify that the overpass remains safe for the heavy transit trucks that frequently use the bypass, the lanes will remain inaccessible.

Motorists are currently being diverted to alternative routes, leading to heavy gridlock on connecting arteries. Traffic from the Kikuyu side is being redirected at the Ngong Road and Lang'ata Road interchanges. Those traveling from the Mombasa Road side are advised to avoid the bypass entirely and utilize the Central Business District or the Nairobi Expressway. Significant backlogs are being reported on Lang'ata Road as it absorbs the diverted highway traffic.

Recovery operations and the clearing of the charred wreckage are expected to continue through the day. KeNHA has urged road users to exercise patience and follow the directions of traffic marshals stationed at the diversion points until a formal structural clearance is issued.