The explosion of a petroleum tanker on Thursday night along the Eldoret-Turbo road, near Paul Boit Secondary School, left three people dead and 14 others injured.
Witnesses said many of those hurt were attempting to scoop fuel from the damaged tanker after the accident, and were caught when the vehicle ignited. The eyewitness accounts place residents among the victims rather than only passing motorists.
The Kenya Red Cross described the event as a mass casualty incident and dispatched emergency teams to the scene. Medical responders and rescue personnel attended to the injured and made preparations to move the most seriously hurt to hospital for further treatment.
Drivers were asked to avoid the stretch of road where the crash and blast occurred so emergency crews could work without obstruction. Officials also sought to keep the area clear while teams managed the wreckage and the risk of additional fires from spilled fuel.
Authorities have not released further details about the tanker’s cause of the accident, the identities of the victims, or the precise condition of the injured. Emergency responders remain on site dealing with the immediate humanitarian and safety needs prompted by the explosion.
The incident underscores the acute danger posed when people gather around damaged fuel vehicles, and it will likely shape local traffic and emergency access on the Eldoret-Turbo corridor in the short term as authorities complete their response and restore safe passage.
