Four people who were siphoning fuel from a tanker involved in an accident at Kamagut along the Eldoret-Webuye Highway succumbed to injuries after it exploded on Friday, March 10.
The tanker, according to witnesses, lost control before ramming into an oncoming matatu that had passengers along the highway.
Villagers residing within the vicinity of the scene flocked to the area carrying jerrycans and buckets with the intention of siphoning oil from the tanker.
They threw caution to the wind and scrambled to maximise their perceived opportunity, oblivious to the risk they were exposed to at the time.
However, police officers arrived at the scene to protect the freight from the villagers who were illegally funnelling the oil into their buckets and jerrycans.
The officers then engaged the insistent locals in running battles and occasionally lobbed teargas canisters in an attempt to disperse the crowd from the scene.
In the resulting altercation, the tanker burst into flames and exposed the lives of the crowd to danger. Dark smoke clouded the scene as the onlookers who had gathered in the area scampered for safety.
Two people, according to witnesses, died on the spot while two others died while receiving treatment in nearby hospitals.
While speaking to the media, witnesses claimed that the explosion was caused by the teargas canisters lobbed by the officers in their attempts to cordon off the scene.
"The driver lost control and hit a matatu from its right side causing it to roll over several times," a witness noted.
In addition, scores of villagers were admitted to hospitals in Uasin Gishu County where they were recovering from different degrees of injuries sustained from the fire burns.
The police were, however, yet to comment on the matter and the cause of the fire.
In March 2022, several people lost their lives in yet another tanker explosion along the Webuye Highway after villagers rushed to the scene with the aim of siphoning fuel.
Cases of people succumbing from injuries sustained from fire explosions have been rampant despite the sustained campaign warning against rushing to an accident scene involving a fuel tanker.
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