This archive report was first published on 6 May 2020.
On April 28, a 36-year-old man tragically lost his life in a fire incident inside his car in Buru Buru estate, Nairobi. The incident occurred outside his house at around 8:30 am, with his widow and two children present in the house at the time.
According to the autopsy report, the man, identified as Terrance Korir, was alive and breathing when the fire started. The Chief Government Pathologist, Dr. Johansen Oduor, revealed that Korir had plenty of soot in his respiratory system, indicating that he took a long time to die.
Dr. Oduor also stated that Korir's intestines were empty, suggesting that he had not eaten for some time before the incident. The pathologist added that the deceased had more soot on his airways and around his lungs, indicating that he was alive and breathing as he burnt.
“He inhaled a lot of soot, an indication that he took a lot of time in the car before he died because we saw discoloration of tissues. This happens when you inhale more carbon monoxide,” Dr. Oduor said.
The autopsy was carried out at the Chiromo Mortuary, where Korir's body had been lying since the incident. The pathologist emphasized that the preliminary findings show Korir sat in the car as he painfully burnt, but the circumstances and cause of the fire remain unknown.
Police were present during the postmortem, and other specialists, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the government chemist, and fire experts, are working together to establish the cause of Korir's death.
As investigations continue, police suspect suicide as the motive behind the incident, but detectives are also open to the possibility of arson. The engine and trunk of the car were intact, while only the inner part of the car where Korir was sitting was extensively damaged.
At least six people, including first responders, have been questioned by the police. They arrived at the scene almost two minutes after the fire started but could not help Korir as he sat inside the burning car and did not attempt to get out.
