Screams and failed rescue: Details emerge of crash where car flew onto Mbagathi footbridge and caught fire killing three

A car mounted a pedestrian footbridge along Mbagathi Way in Nairobi after veering off Raila Odinga Way near the Riara University turn-off. All three occupants died when the vehicle caught fire in the early hours of Saturday following the incident late Friday night. The victims were burnt beyond recognition.

The driver lost control. The vehicle left the road, climbed the stairs to the elevated footbridge and came to rest on its side halfway up the structure. Flames quickly engulfed the mangled wreckage.

Witnesses heard screams from those trapped inside as the fire spread. Bystanders rushed forward but the intense heat drove them back. Victor Nzai described how the people inside made frantic efforts to seek help yet rescue proved impossible once the blaze took hold.

A police officer tried to reach one of the occupants. The officer had to retreat because the flames were too fierce. An ambulance arrived soon after the crash but the rapid spread of the fire left no chance for medical intervention.

Firefighters put out the blaze. Officers from Kilimani Police Station secured the scene while the wreckage stayed on the footbridge stairs for several hours. Recovery teams used a crane to lift the charred vehicle onto a truck. A military vehicle assisted in clearing the remains to Nairobi Funeral Home.

The three victims, believed to include the driver and two passengers, remain unidentified. Families gather at the funeral home as detectives work to trace relatives, including two next of kin who have not yet been located. Thick smoke and the awkward position of the car on the stairs complicate access for everyone at the scene.

Police said the driver lost control of the vehicle. Investigators continue working to determine how exactly the car mounted the footbridge and what sparked the fire. No official cause has been released.

The collision damaged the footbridge itself. Metal handrails along the staircase twisted and tore away under the impact. Debris from the vehicle and broken sections of the structure litter the stairs and ground below. Onlookers kept their distance while crews worked through the early hours.

Witnesses reported the car travelled at high speed before the crash. Nancy Kinanga, a resident, noted that drivers often speed along this stretch after leaving nearby entertainment spots. She urged motorists not to drive if they had been drinking.

Traffic slowed briefly on the road as people stopped to watch the scene. Videos and photographs of the burning vehicle circulated widely online. The incident drew attention to conditions on Raila Odinga Way that night.

Postmortems and ongoing inquiries continue. Authorities expect to release more details once victim identification finishes and investigators complete their work. Detectives seek any additional information that could clarify the events.