Death toll in Kenya fuel tanker explosion rises to 40

40 people have been killed after a fuel tanker explosion near Karai in central Kenya on Saturday night after the truck hit several vehicles before exploding on a busy highway.

According to the deputy county commissioner Isaac Masinde on Sunday morning, the death toll increased to 40 and four accident victims were under treatment in the county hospital, two were discharged and another two were transferred to Nairobi Hospital for intensive care, local media report.

The police indicate that the truck driver lost control of the vehicle on the busy Nairobi-Naivasha Highway, 80 kilometres west of the capital Nairobi, and then hit the vehicles infront of it before exploding together with 12 other vehicles.

“The fire spread very fast burning 10 other vehicles. A General Service Unit (GSU) Land Cruiser registration number GK B 961G was also burnt, killing the officers on board. Most bodies were burnt beyond recognition,” local media Daily Nation quoted the police report.

“At the scene, two containers of premium bond substance said to be highly flammable were recovered and suspected to be among items carried in the truck,” it added.

Head of Kenya’s Disaster Management Unit, Pius Maasai, told the media that most of the bodies were identified including police officers whose guns were recovered.

Rescue operation was ongoing as at Sunday morning.