Buruburu phase five man burnt beyond recognition could be caused by sanitizers

Police Patrol in Nairobi

Police are investigating factors under which a man burned to death inside his car in Buruburu Phase 5, Nairobi, on Tuesday. Some residents however says sanitizers could have caused the fire or while witnesses had a contrary information.


A Private security guard manning Mai Mahiu Court along Katulo Road reported a car that was burning at the parking yard.


They called Nairobi county firefighters to put out the fire which had destroyed the interior of the Subaru Impreza registration number KBY 779M.


 “Upon search, there was a body of one male adult who lives in house number 465 next to the parking yard, namely Terance Korir aged 36 years who is believed to be the owner of the said motor vehicle having been burned beyond recognition,” read a police report from Buruburu police station.


The victim was preparing to leave for work at 8.30am when the incident happened.

There was speculation that a sanitizer inside the car caused the fire.


“Since the onset of COVID-19, we have been carrying and interacting with a highly flammable and very volatile chemical in the name of sanitizers. If you leave it in the car, the ethanol can vaporize and fill up the car and on car ignition it causes a serious fire which can be life threatening,” some people around the hood said.


However, Buruburu subcounty police commander Adamson Bungei said the claims that a sanitizer inside the car caused the fire are yet to be confirmed and investigations are ongoing.

“we do not know the circumstances of the incident. For now, we are treating it as a fire incident,” he said.