NAIROBI — A fiery explosion at an illegal natural gas filling station in the densely populated Embakasi district of Kenya’s capital resulted in the deaths of at least three people and left 280 others injured, the government announced on Friday. However, the number of casualties is expected to increase. The explosion, which took place at 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, highlights the ongoing risk associated with unlicensed facilities that unlawfully refill cylinders with cooking gas without proper oversight and sell them at low prices to consumers. A truck loaded with canisters of cooking gas caught fire in a massive blaze that engulfed the facility and destroyed factories and homes in the Mradi neighborhood of the Embakasi district, a densely populated area near Kenya’s international airport. Zainab Said, 33, recounted the terrifying experience from a nearby hospital, where she was being treated for second-degree burns, the result of feeling the tremors of the explosions and witnessing the flames at the gate of her residence. Zainab saw a woman consumed by fire, helpless to assist. At the Ruai Family Hospital, where she sought treatment, she learned that a neighbor also suffered burns. Living just 200 yards from the filling station, Zainab witnessed a neighbor engulfed in flames and felt the heat herself, resulting in burns on her legs and hands. Everlyne Simiyu, 45, was out buying groceries when the explosions erupted, causing her to hurry back to her home, where her 23-year-old daughter, Cynthia, had sustained burns. The neighborhood was ablaze, and together, they managed to escape and reach a nearby hospital. Videos shared on social media depicted massive flames rising into the night sky accompanied by the sound of desperate screams. A senior staffer at Kenyatta National Hospital reported that the hospital received 45 patients, with nine in critical condition, and more injured individuals arrived throughout the day. The largest health facility in the country, the hospital received an influx of patients following the explosion. “It took time for help to come,” said witness Peter Njenga, who observed the blast. “Thirty minutes after and there was no help. People from the informal settlements were running to the other estates for safety.” Investigative journalist Edwin Okoth, who had looked into the illegal gas filling stations for a local newspaper in 2016, revealed that there are numerous illegal gas filling stations throughout the country, many of which are located in residential areas. Okoth had previously warned of the risk of such an incident, stressing the absence of regulatory oversight and the potential danger it posed. The widely used gas cylinders for cooking are legally available from authorized dealers, but many residents opt for the cheaper alternatives offered by illegal vendors. “Those guys don’t have gas cylinders, [so] they steal empty cylinders, they rebrand them, they put different colors on them, and then they go and refill them,” said Okoth, highlighting the lack of safety measures or procedures at these facilities, in addition to the absence of guaranteed gas quality. Following his investigation, Okoth reported receiving threats from regulatory officials who alleged that he was being used by official dealers to suppress smaller sellers. The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority of Kenya stated on Friday that the filling plant in Embakasi had submitted permit applications for natural gas storage in March, June, and July of the previous year, all of which were rejected due to failing to meet the criteria for an LPG storage and filling plant because of the high population density in the area. The Embakasi district reportedly has several informal filling stations, according to residents.
Gas explosion in Kenyan capital injures hundreds, sparks huge fireball
