Two killed, hundreds injured in Nairobi’s gas explosion

Nairobi: Two people were killed and hundreds got injured as a result of a gas explosion in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

Government officials said that gas cylinders were being refilled at a plant in Embakasi district when the explosion occurred.

The Kenya Red Cross said: “271 people had been taken to hospitals in Nairobi, while 27 people were treated at the scene”.

The cause of the explosion has not yet been ascertained and the investigation is underway.

In a statement released on social media platform X, government spokesman Ishaq Muwara said that the explosion occurred at the Containers Company Limited near Kabansura in the embassy. 

‘Gas cylinders were being refilled when a fire broke out and several people were injured who have been transferred to hospitals,’ added Ishaq Muwara.

He stated that the company's building was badly damaged as a result of the explosion. The cause of the fire could not be known; however, people are requested to avoid the area as rescue operations are underway.

According to reports, the fire spread to several apartment complexes and the death toll is expected to rise further.