Gov’t reveals cause of Embakasi gas explosion

The government now says the Thursday night blast at a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) plant in Nairobi’s Embakasi area was caused by incorrect refilling of the cylinders.

Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and his Interior counterpart Prof. Kithure Kindiki, in a joint statement released on Friday evening, disclosed that the gas cylinders were refilled using direct manifold connections to the LPG tanker.

This, according to the two top State officials, massively increased the risk of leakage and eventual explosion, which claimed three lives and left at least 280 other people injured.

“Preliminary findings indicate that on the fateful night, the refilling of LPG cylinders was done using direct manifold connections to the LPG tanker increasing the risk of leakage and explosion,” read the statement.

They went ahead to state that the government will now embark on demolishing all illegal gas storage and filling plants across the country among a raft of new measures to be implemented in order to curb similar future tragedies.

The duo said the government will conduct a risk assessment exercise for all LPG plants to ensure compliance, besides instituting punishment for operators found filling cylinders without authority from the brand owners.

They added that the administration will immediately roll out an LPG growth strategy which includes development and implementation of a track and trace framework for gas cylinders in order to improve traceability and accountability.

The Cabinet Secretaries further stated that there is need henceforth to “strengthen the LPG data verification framework so as to improve accountability by players in the sector,” as well as “enhance public awareness and sensitization programs to promote LPG safety.”

This as CSs Chirchir and Kindiki disclosed that at least three permit applications (March 19, June 20, and July 31) to construct a gas plant at the fatal site in Embakasi last year were all rejected by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) for not meeting set standards.

“Twice, in March 2020 and January 2021, the plant that was illegally constructed at the said location was demolished by EPRA and the operators charged in Court,” read the statement.