A frightening fire broke out overnight in Nairobi, following the explosion of gas cylinders which in turn blew up a truck, in the popular Embakasi district of the Kenyan capital.
Police confirmed the death of 2 people from the burns, with at least 220 injured and 7 other citizens fighting between life and death, in the fire that spread to a container company and the Oriental Godown, a clothing and textile warehouse that completely caught fire.

The injured were transferred to five different hospitals in the city.
Government spokesman Isaac Mwaura said that a truck, with an unknown registration number, loaded with gas cylinders, exploded, triggering a huge fireball that spread widely in the area around 11pm on Thursday. According to the spokesman, it was an airborne gas cylinder that exploded, hitting the truck and turning it into a huge, unbelievable open-air bomb.

"As a result, the inferno further damaged several vehicles and commercial properties, including many small and medium-sized businesses. Unfortunately, residential houses in the neighbourhood also caught fire, with a good number of residents still inside as it was late at night," Mwaura told the media, adding that injured Kenyans were transported to Kenyatta National Hospital, Mama Lucy General Hospital, Mbagathi Hospital, Modern Komarock Hospital and Nairobi West Hospital. Many residents lost their homes or shops and the little they had. Rescue operations and recovery of any missing persons are still ongoing.

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