Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-02-02 11:13:18
The residents of Mradi village in Nairobi’s Embakasi woke up to a horrifying scene on Thursday morning. The once vibrant and low-cost residential area had been reduced to rubble and ashes, completely unrecognizable from what it was just hours before. The neighborhood, located between Nyayo Estate and several businesses, was devastated by a massive explosion that originated from a gas plant in the area.
Vanessa Okeyo, a resident of Mradi village, recounted the horror of the morning as she discovered several lifeless bodies abandoned in the aftermath of the explosion. The official death toll on Friday morning stood at three, with nearly 300 more individuals injured, some in critical condition. The scale of the destruction and the number of casualties left the residents in shock and disbelief.
The explosion, caused by a truck loaded with gas, ignited a fire that spread rapidly to neighboring buildings. The impact of the blast was felt throughout the area, with many individuals suffering life-threatening injuries and others still incapacitated by the overnight disaster. Abandoned clothes, wreckage, and debris created a haunting scene that reflected the magnitude of the tragic event.
The neighborhood’s proximity to the gas plant raised concerns about the safety and legality of such a commercial venture in a residential area. The Energy Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) revealed that the company responsible for the gas plant did not have a license to operate in the area. This revelation only added to the distress of the residents, who had previously raised concerns about the presence of the facility in their neighborhood.
Eyewitnesses reported that the disaster could have been avoided if the garage owner had heeded the distress calls from residents and businesses earlier in the evening. The hissing sound of leaking gas from one of the parked trucks had prompted several calls to the garage owner, who failed to take any action. Despite desperate calls to the police, the explosion eventually occurred, engulfing the area in a massive ball of fire.
The aftermath of the explosion left the entire neighborhood in a state of chaos and devastation. Many residents were left reeling from the overwhelming destruction and loss of life. The narrative of the events leading up to the explosion painted a bleak picture of a community that had been neglected and disregarded.
As the residents of Mradi village grappled with the aftermath of the tragedy, questions about accountability and safety regulations loomed large. The catastrophic event had exposed the vulnerabilities of the community and raised urgent concerns about the need for stricter safety measures and oversight. The road to recovery for Mradi village would be long and arduous, as the scars of the explosion continued to haunt the neighborhood for years to come.
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