In the aftermath of the devastating explosion at Mradi area in Embakasi, which tragically claimed two lives and left 222 individuals injured, a survivor has bravely shared the harrowing details of the incident.
During a press briefing, the survivor described the unsettling final moments leading up to the explosion. Recalling that he had gone to sleep around 11:00 pm, the survivor detailed the sudden impact that jolted him awake, causing panic among locals. Frantically searching for relatives and neighbors engulfed in the flames, the survivor, bearing visible scalds, shared the heart-wrenching experience of being unable to locate his two children, aged 3 years and 11 years, whom he last saw before the explosion.
“We were sound asleep. We just heard a loud explosion. I don’t even know where my children are. They are aged 3 years and 11 years,” cried the survivor.
Another distraught woman expressed her concern for her missing husband, caught up in the flames, while a third survivor recounted futile attempts to save a family after a second explosion occurred when a mother rushed back to rescue her children.
The incident has sparked public questions regarding the government’s disaster response measures, with some Kenyans criticizing the operation of a gas filling plant in a residential area. Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, who is yet to address these concerns, confirmed that two people died and over 200 are nursing injuries. He attributed the explosion to a gas-loaded lorry, stating that a flying gas cylinder hit Oriental Godown, triggering a chain reaction that led to the destruction of properties and residential houses.
Mwaura urged the public to steer clear of the area to facilitate an uninterrupted rescue mission. He expressed gratitude to institutions such as the National Police, Nairobi County Government, the Kenya Redcross, St. John’s Ambulance, and well-meaning Kenyans for their prompt response.
The affected individuals were rushed to Mama Lucy Hospital and Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) for medical treatment. Nairobi woman representative Esther Passaris appealed for blood donations for the victims, emphasizing the urgent need to support the more than 300 affected factory workers and residents. As the community grapples with the aftermath, thoughts and prayers are extended to the families that have lost their loved ones in this unprecedented tragedy.
