There was panic in Nairobi’s Ngara area on Sunday morning following a fire incident that affected a gas supply station.
The fire caused explosions as gas cylinders packed at the station went up in flames and exploded. Police said there was no injury that was reported in the morning incident.
Nairobi Regional Police Commander Adamson Bungei who visited the scene said property of unknown value was destroyed.
He said there were no reported injuries so far and that experts were investigating the source of the fire.
“We suspect the fire started from either food kiosks near the station or some garages operating there. Experts are investigating the incident,” he said.
Bungei said the explosions from the scene were powerful and scary but added no injuries were reported.
“Some of the staff who were here ran away for their safety as the fire approached faster,” he said adding the experts were combing through the debris to find out more.
Videos shared online showed the fire billowing metres high amid explosions.
This rekindled the memories of Embakasi fire explosion that killed more than ten people in February 2024.
More than 148 households were affected by the blast while 761 people were affected, 50 businesses were burned.
The deadly gas blast and blaze happened in a densely populated area of Nairobi when a truck loaded with gas canisters exploded.
Most victims are yet to recover from the incident.
The incident sparked an operation targeting gas stations operating near residential areas. This seems to have subsided with time.
The affected Ngara area is also among those that are heavily populated. The area has many food kiosks, garages with welding machines that can spark fire anytime and all manner of businesses.
Licensing and general regulation have been a major issue in the business amid claims of graft.
