Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii has demanded that oil tankers be banned from passing through the Eldoret central business district to avert future accidents.
The demand came following Friday’s fire accident which left three people dead and 22 others injured.
Bii said they were working with the Kenya National Highways Authority to deal with oil tankers that still pass through the Eldoret CBD.
The governor said they will direct the traffic department to ensure the oil tankers use the Eldoret Southern Bypass instead of the highway through the city centre.
“We have so many oil ferrying lorries which still go through the city yet we all know the dangers they pose to residents. We will take action and have them use alternatives routes,” Bii said.
He spoke after visiting the injured victims at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital following the oil tanker explosion at Paul Boit along the Eldoret-Malava highway.
Eleven of the victims are still admitted in the ICU at the hospital.
Andrew Wandera, Senior Clinical Services Doctor at MTRH, said seven of the victims are in the ICU with burns covering more than 25 per cent of their bodies, while the rest have facial and body burns.
“We have adequate supplies and medics who are working to help the victims so that they can heal quickly,” Dr Wandera said.
Uasin Gishu county police boss Wilberforce Sicharani had explained that a small tanker carrying petrol and diesel collided with another vehicle, causing the lorry to lose control and crash on the road.
“Several people rushed to scoop fuel, and it’s during the commotion that the tanker burst into fire, causing two deaths and many other people were injured,” Sicharani said.
He said it was suspected that one of the people may have touched the battery in the lorry, sparking the fire.
Governor Bii visited the injured at the hospital and said most of them had serious burns.
“We are saying sorry to the families affected as we also caution that no one should run to areas where such accidents occur because there is always the danger of fire,” Bii said.
Bii said they had coordinated a quick response when the accident occurred, including the Kenya Red Cross, which he said did good work to ensure victims were quickly taken to hospital.
He said they had also coordinated humanitarian assistance for the families affected by the tragedy. Residents have also asked the government to help stop the illegal oil syphoning along the route.
