Police have apprehended a director at the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) in connection with the Mradi gas explosion in Embakasi, Nairobi.
Nairobi police commander Adamson Bungei confirmed the arrest and announced an ongoing search for additional suspects involved in the incident.
He highlighted the need for those implicated to surrender voluntarily, warning that the police were actively pursuing them.
The authorities plan to conduct autopsies on the deceased victims as part of the investigation, with intentions to file murder charges against those found responsible.
The explosion, which occurred at a filling station, resulted in six fatalities, as three more victims succumbed to their burns in Kenyatta National Hospital.
Over 300 people sustained injuries, and many are seeking compensation from the yard owners and the government.
The police are actively pursuing at least seven suspects, including the proprietor of the gas filling plant, his partner, and the truck driver suspected to have caused the explosion.
Additionally, three NEMA officials have been implicated for allegedly issuing an illegal license to the company.
Despite the proprietor denying claims and asserting cooperation with the investigation, suspicions arise regarding the nature of the site.
While the owner contends that it was a garage for years, the police suggest that the garage specialized in repairing trucks transporting Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
The proprietor, involved in transporting LPG products, had his license applications rejected by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) last year.
The incident has sparked a blame game among industry stakeholders, prompting the government to announce measures for stricter compliance in the sector, including risk assessments, demolitions of illegal sites, and enhanced regulatory frameworks.
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