Family claims negligence after kin dies in explosion at Nakuru industrial area

The one-year-old child of Enock Kibet will be forced to grow up without a father, after Kibet died in a fatal explosion at a gas company in Nakuru’s industrial area.

The 28-year-old who hails from Bomet County went into work on the morning of April 7 just as he has been doing for the last two years in the same company not knowing it would be his last day.

According to his elder brother Evans Kipkoech, Kibet was a mining and petroleum engineer at the company.

He says he received a phone call from Kibet's workplace on the evening of April 7 informing him of the unfortunate incident, asking that they visit the office.

“After getting the call we immediately rushed to the company. Upon arrival, we faced resistance when we wanted to access the scene but when we later gained entry, we were able to establish where the incident happened,” he says.

Kipkoech says that his brother together with a colleague were charged with the responsibility of conducting a fabrication of the tanker that had gas inside.

He adds that as they continue to come to terms with the death of their kin, the whole issue does not sit well with him and the family at large.

“We were informed of the incident at 4:30 pm and yet it happened in the morning.  This was about five hours after the incident had occurred. They took too long before they could inform us of the incident” he says.

Additionally, “The company was very reluctant to let us into the premises, which raises questions as to why this is so. At the time of death, my brother and his colleague were welding yet Kibet is an engineer and that was not his work. He was called to do a job which was not his job description.”

The brother concludes by saying that they will be taking legal action against the company over the safety protocols blaming the death on negligence.

“We have reported the matter at the Kaptembwa Police Station. My late brother sustained 80 percent burns. The body was moved to the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral hospital mortuary. We will also be looking at conducting a post mortem,” he adds.

Kibet' s colleague sustained 40 percent superficial burns (on the skin) and is recuperating at the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital.

Nakuru West sub county police commander Stephen Kirui says that the matter is under investigation.