FALSE: The fire that destroyed vehicles in Kenya was not caused by xenophobic attacks

FALSE: The fire that destroyed vehicles in Kenya was not caused by xenophobic attacks.

The destruction of vehicles shown in the video was caused by an accidental overnight fire at an auto repair garage in Nairobi, with official investigations confirming no connection to xenophobic violence.

A post shared on X (formerly Twitter) claiming that an inferno destroying vehicles in Kenya was an act of xenophobia is FALSE.

The post includes a video showing dozens of burnt vehicles and claims that they were targeted and destroyed as part of ongoing xenophobic attacks in Kenya.

Evidence:

A reverse image search and keyword search on keyframes from the video revealed the origin of the footage. The video shows the aftermath of an accidental fire at an auto repair garage along Muringa Road in Kilimani, Nairobi.

Local media reported that the blaze broke out overnight destroying high end vehicles awaiting repairs. Garage owners and police indicated that the inferno was accidental, spreading rapidly due to stored petrol and spare parts. People Daily

Statements from Nairobi County Disaster Management and local police confirmed that the incident was an industrial accident affecting local business operators. Authorities found no links to xenophobic violence or targeted attacks. The Star

Whicob News has investigated the claim posted on X that burnt vehicles in Kenya were the result of xenophobia and finds it to be FALSE.

This fact check was produced by Whicob News / Farai Dziwanyika as part of the African Fact-Checking Alliance’s (AFCA) incubation programme. It was produced with peer-mentorship from Code for Africa’s fact-checking initiative, PesaCheck, with financial support from Norway. AFCA mentorship respects the journalistic independence of the researchers, offering access to advanced techniques and tools. Editorial decision-making remains with Whicob News. Want to learn more? Visit: https://factcheck.africa/