DONHOLM, Kenya – A massive fire erupted in Nairobi’s Donholm area on Friday after a gas explosion near a petrol station, triggering panic among residents and forcing emergency responders to rush to the scene.
Images and videos trending online showed residents fleeing in different directions as thick smoke billowed into the sky.
While some scrambled for safety, others captured the dramatic scenes on their phones as firefighters battled to contain the blaze.
Witnesses said the fire ignited near a food outlet before spreading rapidly to nearby premises, including a medical clinic.
The situation escalated when the flames reached a gas cylinder depot, setting off a series of powerful explosions.
Several residents described hearing loud bangs that sounded like bombs, with gas cylinders exploding one after another as the fire intensified.
“If you have never heard multiple gas cylinders exploding, that is a sound you don’t want to wake up to,” one resident wrote on social media.
Another witness recounted the terrifying sequence of events, saying the fire began at a local eatery, spread to a clinic, and then triggered what many described as “fireworks” at the gas depot.
Firefighters were seen at the scene working to prevent the blaze from spreading further, particularly towards the nearby petrol station, which raised fears of an even larger disaster.
By the time of publishing, authorities had not confirmed the cause of the fire or reported any casualties.
Investigations are expected as emergency teams continue to secure the area.
