At the time of going to press, 120 people had been confirmed dead and several others survived with serious injuries after an overturned petrol trailer caught fire t Sachang’wan in Molo District. The Government has confirmed that only two among the dead could be identified. "The rest were burnt beyond recognition....," said Rift Valley PC Hassan Noor Hassan.
The explosion that followed the accident has devastated the area where several families are now mourning their loved ones as several others are undergoing treatment at various hospitals within the region. Reports reaching KiN Newsroom say that the fire broke out while several hundreds of people gathered to collect spilled fuel from a petrol tanker that had earlier on been involved in accident on the Nakuru - Molo highway. It is feared the death toll may rise due to the multiple injuries and the degrees of burning the patients undergoing treatment suffered.
It is only a few days ago since the deadly fire at Nakumatt in Nairobi claimed 27 lives (over 40 are still missing) and now a historic fire accident claims over 100 lives in Molo.
Could these deaths and injuries be avoided?
The causes of both fires are still unknown, but unlike the one at Nakumatt, there are immediate mixed claims that link the fire in Molo to a lit cigarette and a possible deliberate cause. Allegations have it that somebody was angered by the way security personnel chased away people from the accident scene and revenged it by lighting the fire. Some say the security personnel were trading the fuel for cash and that those who could not pay were barred from gathering the spilled fuel. This angered several people who allegedly promised the security personell immediate retaliation.
The Nation newspaper reports that a fire engine from the Nakuru Municipal Council arrived at the scene of accident more than an hour after the fire broke out. The presence of a local fire station and a functioning fire engine in Molo may have reduced the magnitude of this accident. Unfortunately, Molo does not have a fire engine. There is need to review Kenya’s emergency services!
Prime Minister Raila Odinga, visiting the victims of the blaze, reminded Kenyans: “Poverty is pushing our people into doing desperate things just to get through one more day"
KiN sends condolences to the victims of the tragic fire accidents.
It is only a few days ago since the deadly fire at Nakumatt in Nairobi claimed 27 lives (over 40 are still missing) and now a historic fire accident claims over 100 lives in Molo.
Could these deaths and injuries be avoided?
The causes of both fires are still unknown, but unlike the one at Nakumatt, there are immediate mixed claims that link the fire in Molo to a lit cigarette and a possible deliberate cause. Allegations have it that somebody was angered by the way security personnel chased away people from the accident scene and revenged it by lighting the fire. Some say the security personnel were trading the fuel for cash and that those who could not pay were barred from gathering the spilled fuel. This angered several people who allegedly promised the security personell immediate retaliation.
The Nation newspaper reports that a fire engine from the Nakuru Municipal Council arrived at the scene of accident more than an hour after the fire broke out. The presence of a local fire station and a functioning fire engine in Molo may have reduced the magnitude of this accident. Unfortunately, Molo does not have a fire engine. There is need to review Kenya’s emergency services!Prime Minister Raila Odinga, visiting the victims of the blaze, reminded Kenyans: “Poverty is pushing our people into doing desperate things just to get through one more day"
KiN sends condolences to the victims of the tragic fire accidents.
By KiN Newsroom
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