A dramatic incident unfolded on Monday in Nairobi County when a tanker transporting Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) overturned on Outer Ring Road in the Avenue Park area, subsequently exploding and triggering widespread evacuations.

The explosion occurred around noon in the Pipeline area of Embakasi, causing immediate concern for public safety.

In response, police began evacuating residents from the surrounding areas, including Fedha, Pipeline, and Avenue Park estates, to mitigate potential risks associated with the blast and subsequent fire.

Emergency services were swift to react, with firefighters promptly arriving at the scene and successfully extinguishing the fire.

Images circulating on social media depict the charred remains of both the LPG tanker and an Embassava 14-seater matatu, reduced to bare metal by the intense blaze.

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According to eyewitness accounts, the matatu was not carrying any passengers at the time of the incident.

"The matatu did not have any passengers, only the driver who was moving the vehicle after being stuck; that is when it exploded," the witness said.

Fortunately, drivers of both the matatu and truck were unharmed during the explosion.

Another witness account painted a different picture which gave more details about what might have caused the fire.

"So, the tanker had gas, the driver realized the leak and went down to establish...he alerted people around and they started to leave," the witness identified as Kwamboka stated.

"There was a matatu nearby and the matatu driver tried to move the vehicle from the scene. He was warned about the move he was about to make but he objected to the advice. The fire exploded at the first ignition,"

Despite the severity of the explosion, casualties were minimal.

Reports confirm that only two individuals sustained injuries and have been transported to the hospital for medical attention.

Authorities have not reported any fatalities related to the incident.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers posed by the transport of hazardous materials through populated areas.