Three die while siphoning fuel along Eldoret-Webuye highway

The petrol tanker that overturned at Kipkaren, three of the area residents who rushed to the scene to siphon fuel suffocated to death. (Photo: Ian Omondi/Standard)

Eldoret: Three people perished and two others were rushed to hospital in critical condition after an attempt to siphon fuel from an overturned tanker turned tragic.

According to an eye witnesses, the incident occurred at around 7am when a lorry that was transporting fuel to Uganda lost control and plunged into a ditch at Ngenyilel junction, along the busy Eldoret-Webuye Highway.

The three are the latest victims of accidents involving trucks ferrying petroleum products in the country. However, there was no fire incident and it was suspected that the victims might have suffocated as a huge crowd scrambled for fuel.

Lugari OCPD Bernard Macharia warned members of the public against getting close to accident scenes where trucks ferrying petroleum products are involved, warning that risk of explosion is very high.

"I'm appealing to the public to stay away from oil tankers in case of an accident because lives have previously been lost due to negligence on the part of the citizens. We should learn from previous incidents," he said.

Following the accident, police from Lugari had a hectic time restraining the huge crowd that milled around the scene and were forced to call for reinforcement from Eldoret.

"My son left home to attend to his daily activities before I received a phone call from an unknown caller informing me to rush to Kipkaren River. I rushed there only to find my son lying by the roadside unconscious," said Isaac Olutoko, a resident who was struggling to come to terms with the tragic death.

Ngenyilel MCA David Singoei blamed the rampant cases of accidents in the area on narrow section of the road and lack of speed bumps.

Survivors were rushed to Lumakanda District Hospital while the dead were moved to Chebaiwa Hospital mortuary.