Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, was the scene of a deadly detonation, which caused a fire and left at least three people dead and 280 injured. The events took place at a fuel storage location in a residential area. Those responsible for the fuel depot had received multiple rejections of their requests to operate at the site.
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Flames engulfed a street market in Nairobi, Kenya's capital, after a truck loaded with gas cylinders exploded on the night of Thursday, February 1, local time.
The vehicle was inside a warehouse full of oil barrels and the detonation unleashed what some describe as “a nighttime hell.” The flames quickly reached surrounding shops and homes.
At least three people were killed and 280 injured, 24 of them were in serious condition, local authorities reported. The number of fatalities is likely to increase, said Embakasi Police Chief Wesley Kimeto.
Many people were likely at home when the fire reached their homes in the Mradi area of the Embakasi neighborhood, said government spokesman Isaac Mwaura.
Witnesses reported that they heard a sound that they suspected was produced by a gas leak from inside the warehouse, before at least two explosions and the fire were recorded, while huge fireballs rose through the place.
In addition, they described that a flying gas cylinder caused a nearby clothing and textile warehouse to catch fire. Several other vehicles and businesses were also damaged.
“I started waking up the neighbors and asked them to leave,” said local resident Alfred Juma, who added that he warned the driver of a black car not to pass through the area, but the man insisted.
“He tried to start the car three times and that's when there was an explosion and the fire spread, causing other explosions,” Juma described.
The roof of a four-story residential building, about 200 meters from the site of the explosion, was broken by another gas cylinder that went into the air.
Mobile phone videos showed flames right next to some apartment buildings, while people could be heard screaming.
A tragedy that could have been avoided?
People experienced what is seen by many as a tragedy foretold: The fuel storage site had been rejected multiple applications to operate in the area because it was too close to residential areas, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority said. from Kenya.
“All applications were rejected because they did not meet the criteria established for an LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) storage and filling plant in that area (…) The main reason for the rejection was that the designs did not respect the stipulated safety distances” , the entity indicated this Friday, through a statement.
One of the stipulations was that the gas business submit a risk assessment called an “explosion profile,” which would estimate how surrounding areas would be affected in the event of an explosion, but the gas storage company never submitted those assessments, he added. the Regulatory Authority.
But these statements raised questions from residents about whether the site was operating with or without the knowledge of the authorities.
The Government knew that this liquefied petroleum gas plant existed in a residential area
Another witness, Charles Mange, said that residents of the area were concerned about the gas storage that operated near their homes. The man confirmed that there were at least two strong explosions, the second knocked him and other people down after they left their homes to find out what was happening.
“The Government knew that this liquefied petroleum gas plant existed in a residential area, but they did nothing (…) They should make sure this does not happen again.”
Local government officials have been accused of accepting bribes to bypass building codes and other regulations.
With Reuters and AP
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