At least one person has died, and 59 others have been injured after a gas explosion at a steel manufacturing company in Athi River, Machakos.
The incident occurred at the company along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway on Thursday at about 4 pm.
The incident was reported at Athi River Police Station as a fatal incident at 7:10 pm by an official from the factory.
Police said the deceased was among 60 workers rushed to hospital after inhaling fumes from the gas.
“It was reported by an official from the said factory that a gas cylinder had emitted some fumes which led to some of the employees being choked,” a police report seen by the Star reads in part.
Preliminary investigations established that a trailer loaded with about 41 bulk gas cylinders arrived at the company at around 2 pm.
The trailer had ferried the cylinders as scrap to the factory.
At around 4 pm, a gas cutter started cutting one of the cylinders, which immediately started emitting gas.
“About 60 employees were choked and affected, complaining of difficulties in breathing, which prompted the management to rush them to hospital for medical attention, where they were treated and discharged, leaving only three under review and another one dead,” a police source told the Star.
Officers from Athi River Police Station, including the orderly officer, crime standby team and DCI personnel, responded to the scene.
The scene was documented by Scene of Crime officers and secured for further processing.
Occupational health and safety personnel were contacted for further safety procedures.
DCI detectives attached to Athi River Police Station, led by Sub-County Criminal Investigations Officer Michael Boiyo, have launched investigations into the incident.
