On Thursday night, a gas explosion occurred at an unlicensed cooking gas-filling plant in Kenya’s capital, resulting in three deaths and 280 injuries, according to authorities.
The fire began when a truck carrying gas exploded in Nairobi’s Embakasi district around 11:30 p.m. local time, “igniting a massive ball of fire that spread widely,” according to government spokesperson Isaac Maigua Mwaura.
A video posted on social media shows an explosion that produces a massive fireball. CNN cannot independently verify the footage.
Mwaura stated on social media that the blast and subsequent inferno caused damage to residential buildings, businesses, and cars.
“Three Kenyans died while being treated at Nairobi West Hospital,” Mwaura reported.
“In addition, 280 other Kenyans have been injured by the fire and rushed to various hospitals,” he added.
“Victims of trauma are offered psychosocial counselling.”
One resident told CNN that the inferno destroyed his home. “My house was completely damaged,” said Alex Ontita, 25, who lives with his aunt and uncle.
“I was scared and emotional because this was my home, and it had been burned down. “I don’t have anywhere to go,” said Ontita, who had been at the scene all night.
Other residents, including 29-year-old Phylic Kerubo, were also counting their losses in the blast. Kerubo told CNN outside her destroyed convenience store that she was sleeping when the explosion occurred.
Her 27-year-old brother, who was injured in the fire outbreak, is currently being treated at a medical facility in the capital, she said.
Another survivor, Edwin Machio, described how he desperately fled the scene. “The fire caught up with me from almost one kilometre away while I was escaping,” Machio told Reuters.
“The flames from the explosion knocked me down and burned me on my neck,” he told Reuters, showing the reporter his injuries.
Nairobi authorities have said they will provide shelter, food, and blankets to those affected by the explosion.
Kenya’s government will also collaborate with the Red Cross to ensure that “there can be provision of some rent for at least two months” for those whose homes have been destroyed, according to spokesperson Mwaura, who also stated that the government is assisting nine single mothers and 21 children who are currently seeking shelter at a local aviation school.
Nairobi’s governor, Sakaja Johnson, said the city county is sheltering families who have lost their homes at a nearby County Hall in Utawala, near the scene of the incident.
“This is part of our larger effort to support and care for those affected as we work toward a more permanent solution,” he explained.
Johnson stated that all casualties from the incident had been attended to.
Previously, Johnson announced on Facebook “a complete waiver of all medical fees for all victims being treated at Nairobi City County hospitals.”
The Kenya Red Cross reported that it had evacuated 271 people to hospitals in Nairobi and was “tirelessly battling the flames” with other agencies.
Mwaura stated that a command centre has been established at the scene to coordinate rescue operations and other intervention efforts, and that the area has now been secured.
“Kenyans are hereby advised to keep off the cordoned area so that the rescue mission can be carried out with minimal disruptions,” he said.
The explosion occurred at an unlicensed cooking gas filling plant, according to Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulation Authority (EPRA) on Friday.
The EPRA stated that it received applications for construction permits for a Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) storage and filling plant at the site in March, June, and July of 2023, but all were denied because they did not meet the criteria for a plant in that area.
The applications were rejected due to a “failure of the designs to meet the safety distances stipulated in the Kenya Standard,” according to a statement, which also noted the proposed site’s high population density.