Three more victims of oil tanker tragedy die
What you need to know:
- Nine other cases of serious burns transferred to provincial hospital
The death toll from the Kapoyek oil tanker tragedy near Kericho has risen to four, after three more victims died on Friday.
Two died in Nairobi while one died at the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital on Thursday night.
The deputy police spokesman, Mr Charles Owino Wakhong’o, on Friday said one victim died at the Kenyatta National Hospital and another at the Rift Valley Provincial Hospital.
Duncan Kingetich Kemboi, 18, succumbed to his injuries at the KNH yesterday while 29-year-old Japhet Kipkemboi died on Thursday night in Nakuru.
Later, Kericho police boss Peterson Maelo said Benjamin Ng’eno had died at the Agakhan Hospital in Nairobi
Joseph Kipsigei Kitur, 30, was the first to die at Kericho District Hospital on Wednesday morning where he had been rushed together with 47 others who sustained serious burns after the accident.
The acting Rift Valley Provincial Hospital medical superintendent, Dr Amos Otara, said Kipkemboi died moments after being admitted.
Nine others victims of the Tuesday’s Kapokyek oil tanker tragedy have been referred to the provincial hospital.
Speaking to the press on Friday, the Kericho District Hospital medical superintendent, Dr Betty Langat, described the condition of the transferred patients as “serious but stable”.
Dr Langat said 22 patients were still admitted at the Kericho District Hospital
And speaking in Nakuru, Dr Otara said Kipkemboi who died yesterday had 95 per cent burns on the body.
“The remaining patients are out of danger because most of them have between 15 to 50 per cent burns,” said Dr Otara.
Great lesson
He said the hospital was well prepared to handle the situation since it had learnt a great lesson from the Sachang’wan tragedy which killed 136 people.
Meanwhile, police in Eldoret yesterday netted people who have been colluding to siphon fuel from petrol tankers on highways.
During the Thursday swoop, police recovered 200 litres of super petrol and 800 litres of diesel.
Two people were arrested and will be arraigned in court.
Reported by Geoffrey Rono, Francis Mureithi, Dominic Wabala, Kennedy Lumwamu and Geoffrey Rono
