Wamuzi News Ke
Security forces were deployed urgently to a rural rail corridor in Uasin Gishu County after a segment of a freight train derailed, sparking widespread public disorder as residents attempted to siphon fuel from the ruptured tanker wagons, raising fears of additional explosions, widespread environmental contamination, and loss of life.
The incident occurred early Friday morning along the Eldoret–Kitale railway line, where an unspecified number of freight wagons left the tracks under circumstances authorities are scrambling to clarify.
Initial reports from the Kenya Railways Corporation indicate that several tankers carrying petroleum products were among the carriages that derailed, prompting local curiosity and fear as well as a surge of opportunistic onlookers.
Within minutes of the derailment, hundreds of residents converged on the scene, not merely as spectators but as active participants seeking to extract fuel from the damaged tankers. Video and photographic material verified by local journalists show large crowds clustered around compromised tank cars, with some individuals attempting to puncture or access valves and hoses — actions that dramatically increased the risk of fire or explosion.
Witnesses described an atmosphere of urgent chaos as the crowd grew, with shouting, pushing, and confusion as villagers sought to harvest fuel. “People were grabbing containers, ropes, anything they could use to collect fuel,” one resident told reporters.
“It became dangerous because nobody knew if the wagons were stable, or if sparks could set off the fuel.”Responding rapidly to the escalating scene, county administration officers and officers from the Uasin Gishu Police Command deployed riot police and specialised units to disperse the crowd and secure the area.
Law enforcement officials issued stern directives ordering civilians to retreat to a safe perimeter to allow trained hazardous materials teams to assess the wreckage and contain potential leaks.Senior police sources confirmed that the priority was to prevent what they described as “an imminent secondary disaster” — a blaze or explosion caused by improper handling of volatile fuel near compromised tankers.
Commanders at the scene said that heavy machinery was being brought in to stabilise derailed wagons before any recovery or inspection operations could proceed.The deployment of police has so far succeeded in clearing most of the immediate wreckage zone, but tensions remain high as residents contest restrictions on accessing the site.
Some local leaders have appealed for calm and cooperation with security forces, warning that individual attempts to capture fuel could jeopardise public safety and complicate relief efforts.
Officials from the Ministry of Transport and the Kenya Railways Corporation have said investigations into the cause of the derailment are ongoing, with initial assessments pointing to a possible track fault or mechanical failure.
Formal statements underscored that fuel wagons represent an extreme risk when compromised and that civilians must not approach such carriages under any circumstances.The Kenya Red Cross and county health officials were also mobilised to the site, prepared to treat injuries that might arise from collisions, explosions, or inhalation of hazardous fumes.
Hospital administrators in Eldoret confirmed that emergency units are on alert and ready to receive casualties should conditions deteriorate.This derailment and the subsequent public scramble for fuel have triggered urgent debates about both rail safety and public awareness.
Transportation analysts caution that incidents involving fuel transport demand stringent safety measures and immediate exclusion zones to avoid loss of life, environmental contamination, and destruction of critical infrastructure.
Environmental experts have also expressed concern about potential soil and water pollution from spilled fuel, which could affect arable land and local water sources for months or years if not contained swiftly and effectively.
