At least two people have been confirmed dead and more than 20 others injured after a petroleum tanker exploded along the Eldoret-Turbo Road on Thursday night. The incident occurred near Paul Boit Secondary School in the Juakali area along the busy Eldoret-Webuye highway at around 10:30 p.m.
According to police and eyewitnesses, the tanker was involved in a road accident and overturned, spilling fuel onto the road. Residents who noticed the accident rushed to the scene, with some attempting to scoop the spilled fuel before the tanker suddenly burst into a massive fireball.
The flames quickly spread around the tanker, trapping some of the people who had gathered at the scene. Several victims sustained severe burns, while others were reportedly burnt beyond recognition as the fire engulfed the area.
Uasin Gishu County Police Commander Wilberforce Sichirani confirmed the incident and said search and recovery operations were still ongoing. He warned that the number of fatalities could rise as emergency teams continued searching the area.
The Kenya Red Cross declared the incident a mass casualty situation and deployed emergency teams to assist those affected. The teams worked alongside Kenya Police officers and firefighters to contain the fire and rescue survivors.
The injured were rushed to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret for treatment. The hospital’s CEO, Dr Philip Kirwa, said 22 victims had been admitted, with seven in critical condition after suffering burns covering between 40 and 50 percent of their bodies.
Traffic along the Eldoret-Webuye corridor was paralysed for several hours as police cordoned off the area to allow firefighters and rescue teams to operate. Motorists were urged to avoid the affected section, while investigations continue to establish the cause of the initial accident.
