Mombasa on lock down as train laden with super petrol derails near port

The cargo train that derailed in Mombasa on Sunday (Maarufu Mohamed)

MOMBASA, KENYA: A cargo train transporting 250,000 litres of petrol derailed while negotiating a sharp bend near the Kibarani flyover in Mombasa.

There was panic in the area and its environs following reports that the highly flammable fuel had spilled on the railway tracks, about 50 metres from the main highway to Mombasa.

Disaster response teams swarmed the area and covered train wagons with a special foam to prevent evaporation and spillage, and an explosion.

Traffic between Makupa Causeway and the Changamwe roundabout was diverted to alternative routes.

Thousands of travellers between Mombasa island on the highway to Nairobi were stranded for hours until police opened an alternative route through the Mombasa port. This route was, however, restricted for use by those trying to get to Moi International Airport and the railway station in Miritini. 

Travellers from Nairobi were diverted at Mazeras town towards Mavueni in Kilifi County from where they entered the Mombasa island from the Kenyan north coast.

Matatus took advantage of the situation to hike fares. Commuters living in Changamwe told The Standard they paid Sh250 for a journey that normally costs Sh50.

The accident occurred on the old metre gauge railway line.

Kenya Railways (KR) Managing Director Atanas Maina said a team of railway engineers was on site.

A KR recovery truck was expected in Mombasa late yesterday to lead the wagon recovery exercise.

“We are working on decanting the derailed and capsized tankers onto the rail track, carrying out track repairs, and hope to have it opened for rail traffic by today (yesterday),” the MD said, adding that there was little oil spillage.

Maritime authorities announced yesterday evening that about 3,000 litres of super petrol spilled out of the oil tankers. They said the road in the affected area would remain closed for some time.

Reports indicated that two of the tankers had been returned to the track as soldiers from the Mtongwe naval base joined in the repair exercise.