No death reported after gas explosion in Nairobi

NAIROBI, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) — Kenyan police confirmed on Sunday that a massive fire, sparked by a gas explosion in the Ngara area of the country’s capital city of Nairobi, has been contained.
Nairobi County Police Commander Adamson Bungei said that the explosion occurred around 7:00 a.m. (0400 GMT) along a busy street in Nairobi’s downtown area, leaving significant destruction in its wake.
No casualties have been reported so far, Bungei said, noting that gas cylinders stored at a nearby station had ignited and exploded.
“We suspect the fire originated from either food kiosks near the station or garages operating in the area. Experts are investigating the incident,” he said at the scene.
Bungei said the explosion was powerful and frightening, causing extensive damage to property in the densely populated Ngara neighborhood.
Authorities have launched a formal investigation to determine the exact cause of the early morning blaze.
This incident follows a similar incident in February when at least 10 people were killed and more than 300 injured after a gas explosion at an illegal gas filling plant in Nairobi’s Embakasi area. That blast, which also occurred in a densely populated part of the city, damaged residential buildings, businesses and vehicles, affecting nearly 800 people. Many of the victims are still recovering from the event. ■