Yet another fuel tanker accident has reportedly occurred along the Kisumu-Nairobi Highway in Kisumu County.
The incident happened on the evening of Monday, July 19, and was the result of a driver losing control of the tanker, veering off the road, and eventually overturning.
The accident occurred at the Kasagam flyover, and police officers who rushed to the scene reported that the accident did not claim any lives.
Police moved swiftly to disperse members of the public who had congregated at the scene of the accident, ready to siphon fuel from the overturned tanker.
Kisumu County Commissioner Josphin Ouko led the manning operations of the tanker in preventing the public from siphoning fuel, as well as redirecting traffic on the busy Kisumu-Nairobi Highway.
Police officers advised motorists to use an alternative route on the busy Kisumu-Nairobi highway to reduce any traffic congestion around the area, which may have made it harder for police and firefighters to manage the situation.
Firefighters from Kisumu County rushed to the scene to contain any fire that could have erupted from the tanker.
“The fuel was still flowing along the stream…on our arrival immediately, we managed to clear off anybody who was around…we don’t want any incident of fire occurrence,” reported a police officer.
Residents in the area rushed to the scene ready to fetch fuel from the tanker, despite the imminent danger of a possible explosion, and the numerous cases of tanker explosions in the past, that claimed lives.
The incident happened a day after another fuel tanker overturned in Malanga, along the Kisumu-Busia road on Sunday, July 18, killing 15 people. Other victims of the explosion sustained serious injuries.
Residents in the area had gone to fetch fuel following the tanker accident when the tanker exploded.
