Embakasi Gas Explosion Update: 3 Dead including 1 Child, Scores Injured

A child is among three people who have died after gas explosions at an industrial site in Nairobi left at least 222 injured, Kenyan authorities have said.

A local newspaper in the Kenyan capital said the blast happened in the Embakasi neighbourhood just before midnight on Thursday.

The explosions sent a fiery smoke plume rising over homes early on Friday, authorities said.

A witness told the Kenyan news site Nation that there were “huge explosions” and “huge fireballs”, with “people screaming and running everywhere for fear of more explosions”.

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Government spokesman Isaac Mwaura said on the X social media platform that a lorry that was carrying gas cylinders in the area exploded before “igniting a huge fire ball that spread widely”.

He added that a “flying gas cylinder” struck a warehouse which deals with garments and textiles and burned it down.

Mr Mwaura wrote: “Consequently, the inferno further damaged several vehicles and commercial properties, including many small and medium sized businesses. Sadly, residential houses in the neighbourhood also caught fire, with a good number of residents still inside as it was late at night.”

The cause of the explosions is unknown.

Wesley Kimeto, police chief for the Embakasi neighbourhood in Nairobi, said the deaths of an adult and a minor were confirmed at 4:30am local time (1:30am UK time).

Mr Mwaura said 222 Kenyans were injured by the fire and were rushed to various hospitals.

There were 167 people being treated at the Mama Lucy Hospital in Nairobi – with 142 of them being adults and 25 children, the Standard newspaper in Kenya has reported.

The paper reports that many of them had inhalation injuries.

Kenya Red Cross said on X earlier that crews had been “tirelessly battling the flames” and that it had taken 29 people to the Kenyatta National Hospital.

The Kenya Red Cross also said that the injured were receiving treatment at various hospitals.

Caroline Karanja, who lives near the site, said she had to run away following the explosions after police cordoned off the entire area.

“Police were turning away everyone and so it was difficult to access my house and I had to seek a place to sleep until this morning,” she said.

Ms Karanja said the smell and smoke were still choking, and she would have to stay away for a while because she had young children.

The proximity of the industrial company to residences raised questions about enforcement of city plans.

Officials at the county government have previously been accused of taking bribes to overlook building codes and regulations.

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