A cargo truck caught fire on Mtwapa Bridge in the Shanzu area of Mombasa County on Tuesday, September 15, forcing the temporary closure of the busy B8 Road and disrupting traffic.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

Police closed the road leading to the bridge as emergency crews responded to the fire and worked to contain the flames.

The fire left the bridge impassable, forcing motorists to use alternative routes as authorities worked to extinguish the flames and clear the wreckage.

Motorists have been advised to expect delays, follow directions from traffic officers and use alternative routes where possible.

📌 What You Need to Know

The incident is expected to affect traffic along the Shanzu-Mtwapa corridor, which carries a high volume of vehicles travelling between Mombasa and northern parts of the Coast.

Mtwapa Bridge forms part of the B8, a major coastal road linking Mombasa to Malindi through Shanzu, Mtwapa and other towns along the northern Coast.

The route is mostly used by commuters, public service vehicles, buses and cargo trucks transporting goods between Mombasa and destinations further north.

The corridor also provides an important link to commercial centres and coastal tourist destinations, making disruptions on the route significant for both local and long-distance travellers.

The Mtwapa incident comes months after a similar fire involving cargo transport along the Nairobi-Mombasa route. On July 1, a Kenya Railways freight train carrying cargo from Nairobi to Mombasa caught fire in the Masimba area of Makueni County.

Footage showed flames engulfing the train's engine before spreading to several cargo carriages, with an emergency response launched at the scene.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke