A massive explosion rocked the Embakasi neighborhood late Thursday night, leaving at least one dead (as at the time of reporting) and dozens injured in what witnesses described as a terrifying inferno.
The blast occurred around 11:45pm at an illegal gas refilling station adjacent to Nyayo Estate Court 5, sending fireballs high into the night sky.
Powerful tremors from the explosion were felt up to a kilometer away, causing panic as buildings shook.
“It was like an earthquake. The building swayed and we could even see the doors move. There was also a heat wave that hit us. We all ran outside, not knowing what was happening,” a resident of a nearby apartment complex told The Sharp Daily.
According to eyewitness accounts, the explosion originated from a small fire at the ‘illegal’ gas station, where tankers routinely refilled cylinders despite repeated complaints from residents about the dangerous operation.
The Sharp Daily visited the scene of the crime and identified one casualty, who according to residents had been hit by a heavy metallic piece of metal that flew through the air about 300 meters away.
“We’ve been telling the authorities for ages that this place was a ticking time bomb. But they did nothing, and now a man is dead because of their negligence,” fumed a resident, who lives across from where the refilling station once stood.
There were scores of injured people, some with burns and others with cuts and bruises, who were taken to nearby hospitals by ambulances that arrived about 30 minutes after the incident.
Among the damaged structures was a block of apartments and several mabati structures around the area.
Investigators are still working to determine the full extent of the damage and identify what sparked the tragic blast.
For now, shellshocked locals are left to pick up the pieces while demanding answers about how such a preventable disaster was allowed to occur right in the heart of their community.
The police could not immediately verify the number of casulaties and thise ijured or affected by the disaster.
This is a developing story, and The Sharp Daily will provide updates as soon as official information becomes available. Stay tuned for the latest developments.
