One of the listed owners of a gas filling plant in Embakasi that exploded over the weekend, killing at least six and injuring more than 300 people surrendered to the police Monday.
Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei said the businessman turned up at the police station accompanied by a lawyer and was grilled by detectives as the probe into the tragedy goes on.
“He is still talking to the team handling the matter. We will know more,” he said.
The details and identity of the man who surrendered were not immediately available.
Police have been pursuing seven suspects in connection with the explosion, including Derick Kimathi, the proprietor of the illegal gas filling plant, Steve Kioko, Kimathi’s partner, the driver of the truck that is suspected to have caused the explosion whom they are yet to confirm whether he escaped or was among the casualties.
The police are also looking for three National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) officials who were suspended for allegedly issuing a license illegally to Kimathi’s company.
One of the deputy directors was Sunday arrested in Nairobi.
Kimathi had earlier told police through a lawyer that he is in the business of transporting LPG products and that last year he made applications to the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) to get a license to operate a gas-filling plant in the area but the applications were rejected.
He also denied reports that the site where the incident occurred was an illegal gas plant stating that for years it had been a garage.
Police say the garage specialised in repairing only trucks transporting Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
“Our client had not been operating a gas filling operation in that place, the premises in the last few years have been operating as a garage and till Thursday it was still operating as a garage, the motor vehicle that caused this incident was trespassing into his property without his knowledge and consent,” said the lawyer.
He argued that he shelved the idea after EPRA rejected his applications on grounds that the site was not viable due to its closeness to the public.
Residents say the place was an illegal gas filling plant which was preferred for its cheaper gas.
Following the incident, the government announced a raft of measures to ensure compliance in the sector.
They include undertaking a fresh risk assessment for all LPG plants with the view of closing all non-compliant sites, demolishing all illegal sites, an immediate rollout of a government LPG growth strategy and strengthening the LPG data verification framework, among other measures.
Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said Sunday seven people are in critical condition at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH).
KUTRRH has seen a total of 27 patients, with eight already discharged and 19 currently under care, including 10 males, six females, and three minors.
KNH received 67 patients from the incident, with six in critical condition, suffering from severe burns.
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