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Screams, flames and failed rescue: Witnesses recount 1am Mbagathi Road footbridge crash that killed 3
Police officers supervise the removal of the wreckage of the car involved in the fatal road crash along Mbagathi Way from Nairobi Funeral Home in Nairobi on July 11, 2026. Three occupants were burnt beyond recognition after the vehicle caught fire following the crash.
What you need to know:
- According to witnesses, the crash occurred shortly after 1am near the Riara University turn-off along Mbagathi Road.
- One video appeared to show a police officer attempting to rescue a person believed to have been trapped inside the burning vehicle.
Witnesses have recounted the desperate final moments of three people who died after their vehicle veered off Mbagathi Road, mounted a pedestrian footbridge and burst into flames in a horrific crash early Saturday morning.
Police have launched investigations into the accident, whose circumstances remain unclear.
One of the witnesses, Victor Nzai, said the occupants screamed for help as flames quickly engulfed the vehicle, forcing would-be rescuers to retreat because of the intense heat.
Tow truck operators load the wreckage of the car involved in the fatal accident along Mbagathi Way onto a recovery truck outside Nairobi Funeral Home in Nairobi on July 11, 2026.
"The people inside made frantic efforts to seek help, but it was impossible to rescue them. The fire started, and those trying to help had to run away because of the flames," he said.
According to witnesses, the crash occurred shortly after 1am near the Riara University turn-off along Mbagathi Road after the vehicle reportedly veered off the carriageway, climbed the stairs leading to the pedestrian footbridge, and came to rest halfway up the structure before catching fire.
Videos and photographs that circulated widely on social media showed the mangled vehicle lying on its side on the footbridge stairs as flames engulfed the wreckage while stunned motorists and residents watched from a distance.
One video appeared to show a police officer attempting to rescue a person believed to have been trapped inside the burning vehicle, but the intensity of the blaze hampered the rescue effort.
Victims yet to be named
Witnesses said the wreckage remained at the scene for several hours before it was removed in the early morning.
"It was only in the wee hours of the morning that a military vehicle arrived and removed the wreckage, with the bodies believed to be inside, before taking them to the Nairobi Funeral Home," he said.
Nancy Kinanga, a resident, said motorists frequently drive at dangerous speeds, particularly at night after leaving nearby entertainment spots.
"Most drivers drive at a very high speed along this road. Most of them, unfortunately, come from the entertainment joints around here. We call upon drivers not to drive if they are drunk," she said.
By Saturday afternoon, grieving relatives had gathered at the Nairobi Funeral Home as they sought to identify the victims. Most of them declined to speak to the media, and the victims of the crash had yet to be named by either the police or their families.
The wreckage of the car involved in the fatal accident along Mbagathi Way is moved from Nairobi Funeral Home in Nairobi on July 11, 2026.
Police confirmed that the incident had been recorded at Kilimani Police Station and that investigations were underway.
A senior traffic officer said detectives were working to establish the identities of all the occupants and trace the families of two of the victims whose next of kin had not yet been located.
The officer said investigators were also trying to establish how the vehicle left the road, mounted the elevated pedestrian footbridge and burst into flames.
The incident briefly disrupted traffic along Mbagathi Road on Saturday as motorists slowed to observe the scene while emergency responders extinguished the fire and cleared the wreckage.
Police said further details would be released once investigations were completed and all the victims had been formally identified.
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