Rasta man never die, Mutarakwa LPG fire survivor says

Jah luck: Elias Karanja, 52, at his Kamirithu home in Mai Mahiu, February 14, 2022. [George Njunge, Standard

Rasta man never die! These are the words of 52-year-old Elias Karanja who survived the Mutarakwa LPG truck fire explosion on Sunday Friday 13.

Since the fire, Karanja’s photos have been trending on the interwebs. In the photo, Karanja is clad in a black jacket that is burnt at the back and a partly burnt woollen marvin. The fire slightly burnt his dreadlocks.

Karanja was at the scene as his farm is a few metres from where the accident happened.

On Sunday Karanja was on his farm cutting napier grass for his cows. He said he saw the LPG truck overturn earlier in the day but did not give it a second thought as the spot is notorious for truck accidents.

Scorched marvin: The Sunday fire slightly burnt Elias Karanja's prized headgear and dreadlocks. [George Njunge, Standard

“Oyooo man! Karibu ngori inipate kwa shamba. Nilikua na husotlia ma cows zangu zisishinde ma ubao kumbe nilikuwa najipeleka kwa ngori man. Buda isipokua ni sir Jah ninge roastiwa kwa shamba,” Karanja explains.

[Oh man, disaster nearly struck me. I was hustling for my cows so that they don’t starve but I had walked right into a disaster, man! Buddy, were it not for Sir Jah I would have roasted in that shamba]

Elias Karanja, 52, demonstrates how he dived to cheat death on February 13, 2022. [George Njunge, Standard

Karanja says a ball of fire landed a few inches from where he was and he fled.

Elias Karanja says he leapt to safety after the LPG tanker exploded near Mutarakwa..... [George Njunge, Standard

“Yeah man, niliona naree ime anguka tu nyuma yangu. Kucheki kidodo, naungua, kujishaka manats nikashika moto kwa kichwa hapo ilibidi ni lost ki msanii, kumbe vile naendelea kulost ndio naree inashika marasta na manguo man.”

[Yeah man, I saw a fireball land behind me. Checking around, I was burning, touching my dreadlocks, my head was on fire. I had to escape like an athlete, but as I fled, the fire was consuming my dreadlocks and clothes.]

.... and how he finally landed on the ground. [George Njunge, Standard

He then rushed and set lose his cows then went to his house to pick up his money.

“Nilingia keja na kuchukua ganji kwa hao na kutoka mbio nikazungukia ya Ngenia kutazamia ngori kwa umbali nilienda hapo wakati makarao na hawa wasee wa moto walipozima yote, rastaman never die man.”?