Traffic diverted after fuel tanker overturns on Thika Road

The accident involving a fuel tanker and a lorry occurred at 10:50am on Thika Road on July 14, 2022. [Samson Wire, Standard]

Police in Nairobi on Thursday mid-morning cordoned off Thika Road stretch between Roysambu and Githurai after a fuel tanker reportedly hit a lorry and overturned at Carwash area.

The accident occurred at around 10:50am, police said.

Authorities say the driver of the lorry that was heading towards Githurai direction from the central business district side swerved to avoid hitting a pedestrian, causing a loss of control.

The lorry, thereafter, hit the highway concrete barrier and overturned.

The fuel tanker that was right behind, rammed the lorry on the side and also overturned.

The accident caused a spill of fuel on the road, prompting police to cordon off the scene to prevent crowds from siphoning the commodity in transit.

Two firefighting vehicles from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), one from the Kiambu County Government and two anti-riot trucks arrived at the scene shortly after the accident.

Efforts to clean up the spill lasted several hours, with the exercise continuing as of the time of publishing this story (1:55pm Thursday, July 14).

Traffic flow towards Thika direction was, consequently, disrupted, with motorists being diverted to the service lane and thereafter Mirema Drive. They’d rejoin the superhighway near Githurai after circumventing the affected stretch.

No fatalities or major injuries were reported.