The death of Terrence Korir, the man who was found burnt in his vehicle in Nairobi's Buru Buru estate, has remained a puzzle to many with speculations rife over what could have caused the peculiar fire that killed him right outside his apartment.
Details have now emerged of his final moments before he entered his Subaru Impreza that would become a death trap.
According to a report by The Standard on Thursday, May 14, Korir is said to have arrived at 6:30 p.m. at his home on April 28, 2020, after spending the whole day at his brother's home in Ngong.
Korir is said to have parked his vehicle at a different location, unlike other days when he parked at his designated parking space in an open space close to the wall.
The deceased and his 29-year-old wife Ruth Wanjiru Mungai reportedly agreed that Korir would visit a counsellor in the city the following day.
Wanjiru is said to have woken up early, took a shower and went to the bedroom to get dressed.
Korir, on the other hand, was just about to head to the shower, when lights went off and he decided to wait until the power had been restored after around 15 minutes.
Wanjiru is said to have realised that Korir was not in the bathroom before she heard screams from neighbours who stated that a vehicle was on fire.
She would moments later get the shock of her life when she found out that the vehicle on fire was her husband's.
When commenting about the couple's marriage, Korir's mother Betsy Maritim, stated that she and her daughter-in-law were always in communication.
"I have never heard any issue with her. We are constantly in touch," Korir's mother stated.
An autopsy conducted by Government Pathologist Johansen Oduwuor on May 5, 2020, at the Chiromo Mortuary revealed that Korir inhaled a lot of soot, an indication that he was alive when the fire started.
He also stated that the deceased's intestines were empty which indicated that he had not eaten for some time.
“He inhaled a lot of soot an indication that he took a lot of time in the car before he died because we saw discolouration of tissues. This happens when you inhale carbon monoxide,” Oduor stated.
“The summary is that this is a person who died in the car fire incident. The circumstances and what caused the fire is what we cannot tell," he added.
Ash samples from the incident have since been forwarded to the Government Chemist by detectives to establish whether the fire was caused by petrol or paraffin.
