A massive inferno resulting from a fuel tanker explosion has forced the total closure of the Southern Bypass near the Carnivore exit, plunging Nairobi into a mid-day traffic gridlock and sending plumes of black smoke billowing over the city skyline.

Emergency response teams, including the Nairobi County Fire Department and police, are currently battling the blaze, which erupted shortly before noon today. The incident has once again highlighted the perilous nature of transporting hazardous materials through the city’s major arteries.

The Scene of Chaos

Eyewitnesses report that the tanker overturned after losing control, sparking an immediate explosion that engulfed the vehicle in flames. "It was like a bomb went off," said James Mwangi, a motorist who was just meters behind the tanker. "The heat was intense, and everyone just abandoned their cars and ran."

Police have cordoned off the area to prevent curious onlookers from getting too close—a grim lesson learned from past tragedies like the Sachangwan fire. So far, no casualties have been officially confirmed, but the intensity of the fire has made immediate rescue operations difficult.

Impact on City Transport

• Road Closure: Both lanes of the Southern Bypass near Lang'ata are impassable.
• Traffic Diversion: Motorists are being diverted onto Lang'ata Road and Mombasa Road, causing heavy tailbacks stretching to the Ole Sereni interchange.
• Safety Warning: Authorities are urging the public to avoid the area entirely as there is a risk of secondary explosions.

A Recurring Nightmare

This incident adds to a worrying statistic of tanker accidents on Kenyan roads. The Southern Bypass, designed to decongest the city centre, has become a hotspot for speeding heavy commercial vehicles. Safety experts are calling for stricter enforcement of speed limits and designated travel times for hazardous cargo.

"We cannot continue to rely on luck," said a road safety advocate at the scene. "Today it’s a bypass; tomorrow it could be a residential area. We need strict regulation enforcement now." As the fire crews work to contain the flames, thousands of Nairobians are bracing for a long, gridlocked commute home.