Government agencies have launched an investigation after a container started emitting smoke at a freight company in Mombasa.
The container is at Boss Freight Terminal Limited, located off Mbaraki Road near Mbaraki Wharf in Mombasa. However, no fire broke out.
In videos seen by Kenyans.co.ke, firefighters can be seen spraying water on a shipping container and emitting white smoke. The firefighters then probe the open part of the container and start spraying water into the container.
Investigations have revealed that the container in question had rechargeable batteries. However, the probe is still ongoing to determine what caused the smoke.
Earlier, there was confusion as an online search of the tracking number indicated that the container contained graphite.
The agencies probing the fire incident comprise police officers, the Mombasa County Fire Service, and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
According to Mombasa County Fire Officer Ibrahim Bassafar, the container fire was first reported in the early morning hours of Thursday. However, the container had been emitting smoke since 3am. No casualties have been reported from the early morning incident.
“We dispatched the first team immediately after receiving the call about a container on fire. They responded alongside the police and other agencies,” stated Bassafar.
“We isolated the container and used chemical foam to cool it. We used about 190,000 litres of water because there was no hydrant in the area, so we had to go back and forth to get water. This process took 10 to 15 minutes, which is a significant delay in a fire emergency,” he added.
“We obtained the container’s tracking number, and after checking, it indicated it was carrying graphite. However, upon opening it, we discovered it contained rechargeable batteries. We are currently managing the situation, and once fully resolved, we will hand it over to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to investigate further,” he said.
