Police probe Terrence Korir's death in Buruburu car fire

The wreckage of the car in which Terrence Korir, a resident of Nairobi's Buruburu Estate, died following a fire on April 29, 2020. PHOTO | JOSEPH NDUNDA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Police removed Terrence Korir's remains from his car, a Subaru Impreza KBY 779M, after neighbours and Nairobi County firefighters put out the blaze.
  • Mr Korir died in the driver's seat of parked car in an 8.30am incident that very few neighbours were aware of before fire engines started arriving.
  • Kamukunji DCI chief Adan Guyo said detectives took samples from the car for forensic tests to determine how the fire started.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is looking into the circumstances under which a 36-year-old man died in a car fire at Nairobi's Buruburu Estate on Wednesday morning.

Terrence Korir died in the driver's seat of his parked car in an 8.30am incident that very few neighbours were aware of before fire engines started arriving.

Mahi Mahiu Court chairman Cyrus Chege called police after security guards informed him of a burning car outside one of the houses.

They collected Korir's remains from the car, a Subaru Impreza KBY 779M, after neighbours and Nairobi County firefighters put out the blaze.

Police sources told the Nation that there was no indication of movement or that he had attempted to escape.

A view of the car in which Terrance Korir, a resident of Nairobi's Buruburu Estate, died following a fire on April 29, 2020. PHOTO | JOSEPH NDUNDA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

SAMPLES COLLECTED

Kamukunji DCI chief Adan Guyo said detectives took samples from the car for forensic tests to determine how the fire started.

Mr Guyo led senior officers, including Sub-county Police Commander Stephen Okal, in assessing the scene.

“Preliminary investigations and inquiries established that this person lived in Phase Five along Katulo Road with his wife and two children aged three and one," Mr Guyo said.

"The vehicle was burnt adjacent to his house," he also said, adding that Korir’s widow, Ruth Wanjiru, had not yet been interviewed as she was not in a condition to speak.

The wreckage of the car in which Terrence Korir, a resident of Nairobi's Buruburu Estate, died following a fire on April 29, 2020. PHOTO | JOSEPH NDUNDA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

THE DAMAGE

The car's interior was extensively damaged by the fire but the exterior, including the tires, were intact. 

It was immediately towed to Buruburu Police Station and the body taken to Chiromo Mortuary.