2024-02-02T07:05:52+00:00
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/ The Kenyan government announced that at least two people were killed and 222 injured in a massive fire caused by a gas explosion on Thursday night in Nairobi.
“A gas tanker exploded, creating a huge fireball that spread rapidly,” Kenyan government spokesman Isaac Maiga Mwaura said via XN, adding that the fire “damaged a number of vehicles and commercial properties, including several small and medium-sized businesses.”
“Unfortunately, residential homes in the neighbourhood were also on fire and many residents were still inside because it was late at night,” he added.
He added that two people “died while receiving treatment at Nairobi Hospital” and “222 others were injured in the fire and were urgently transferred to different hospitals.”
The Kenyan Red Cross had earlier reported about 300 wounded, without mentioning any deaths.
It is reported that many firefighters are continuing to work around 7:00 (4:00 GMT) to try to control the fire. Thick columns of black smoke are still rising from the site.
The fire broke out around midnight local time in the Embakasi area and footage broadcast by the Citizen news website showed a huge ball of fire near several homes.
“We were at home and we heard a huge explosion,” James Ngugi, a resident opposite the fire site, told AFP.