A contingent of police officers was deployed on Tuesday, December 16, to stop residents from siphoning fuel from a derailed train in the Soy area of Uasin Gishu County.
It all began when a freight train derailed shortly before noon, triggering panic among residents who swiftly informed the area police officers about the incident.
According to preliminary reports, the locomotive derailed after attempting to move through a blocked section of the rail, leading to the separation of the front section and the rest of the wagons.
Images widely shared on the internet showed train wagons slightly tilted and tightly squeezed against each other, with fuel spotted leaking onto the ground.
Just moments after the accident, several residents flocked to the scene, with some seen carrying jerrycans and containers in an attempt to siphon fuel from the slanted train.
However, police officers were quickly deployed and began to disperse the crowd, who were adamant about siphoning the fuel. The officers then went ahead to cordon off the area, preventing further access.
Members of the public were urged to stay away from the accident scene and allow emergency responders, including railway officials, to restore normalcy.
While train accidents are always rare, the latest incident adds to the list of train accident cases witnessed across the country since the year began.
In August this year, eight people died after a cargo train and a company bus collided in the Morendat area in Naivasha, Nakuru County.
The accident took place after the bus attempted to cross the railway line in front of an oncoming train, resulting in a collision that left six people dead on the spot, with two others passing while receiving treatment.
The accident occurred while the bus was ferrying the company workers who had just completed their morning shifts home.
A police report further established that the train hit the bus and dragged the bus for over 200 metres, with images of the scene showing the white bus extensively damaged.
