One killed and scores injured in explosion at Nairobi’s Eastleigh
Bomb experts at the scene where an explosion occurred near the Moi Air Base in Eastleigh, Nairobi August 3, 2012. One person died and many others were injured. BILLY MUTAI
An explosion rocked Nairobi’s Eastleigh area last evening killing at least one person and injuring several others.
Shocked eyewitnesses said they heard the blast a few minutes to 7pm along First Avenue, near Joster Supermarket.
The explosion occurred at a gate to the Moi Eastleigh Airbase— directly in the flight path of military aircraft taking off from the airport.
A middle-aged man was killed instantly, witnesses claimed.
Nation team, which arrived at the scene several minutes later, did not find any depression on the ground at the scene, but saw the body of a man still lying on the ground, head blown off.
Bomb detectives from both the police and the military were at the scene, investigating the type of explosive used.
Witnesses claimed the man was a victim of an explosive that was hurled from the window of a Toyota Probox. The explosive blew him up and wounded six other people, who were near him.
Another witnesses said the dead man was in a crowd walking down the street when the object was hurled from the window of a white car around 6.30pm.
The injured were rushed to the nearby Eastleigh Mother and Child Hospital but their condition could not immediately established.
Ms Stacy Agola, who lives about 250 metres away from the scene of the blast, said she was going about her usual chores when she heard the blast go off.
“It was so loud, deafening and sounded really close. I thought that whatever it was, it had happened in our building,” she said.
Nairobi Police chief Antony Kibuchi said they would give a detailed report once investigations are completed.
