A multi-agency investigation is currently underway after a cargo train caught fire at Simba Station in Kajiado County on Wednesday.
In an official statement, the Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) confirmed the afternoon emergency, revealing that the affected industrial train is operated by manufacturing giant Tata Chemicals Magadi Ltd.
Preliminary technical assessments indicate that the blaze was triggered by severe mechanical damage to the locomotive’s fuel tank.
The structural breach resulted in a massive fuel leakage that subsequently came into contact with operational sparks, instantly engulfing the engine unit in flames.
Videos circulating widely on social media platforms captured the scale of the accident, showing huge, thick plumes of black smoke and aggressive flames swallowing the front locomotive car while railway responders and members of the public scrambled to contain the inferno.
“Kenya Railways confirms that the Magadi train, operated by Tata Chemicals Magadi Ltd, caught fire at Simba Station. Preliminary reports indicate that the fire is believed to have originated from mechanical damage to the locomotive’s fuel tank, causing fuel leakage and sparking. Investigations to establish the exact cause of the incident are ongoing,” the statement indicated.
To mitigate further transit disruptions along the corridor, the Kenya Railways management has established a direct command link with Tata Chemicals Magadi Ltd.
KRC has dispatched a specialized technical and safety team to the Simba Station site to spearhead containment and salvage response efforts.
Investigators from both entities are working jointly to analyze the locomotive’s maintenance logs and determine the precise operational circumstances that led to the fuel tank’s sudden mechanical failure.
