Motorist arrested over Kasarani petrol station fire
A video screen grab shows the vehicle that sped off at a Kasarani petrol station while the fuel pump was still in the tank causing a fire that extensively damaged the station. PHOTO| COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Nairobi County Fire brigade extinguished fire.
- Petrol station was extensively damaged.
- No injuries were reported during the incident.
A fire that broke out at a petrol station in Nairobi on Saturday morning was caused by a motorist who sped off to avoid paying for fuel while the pump was still inside the vehicle’s tank.
A statement from the Energy Regulatory Commission stated that the motorist’s action led to the pump being disconnected from the anchorage and being dragged thirty meters away.
“Friction between the ground and the pump produced sparks which ignited a fire that quickly spread,” the statement said of the incident at the Vivo Energy Shell petrol station in Kasarani.
The statement added that the motorist was later arrested.
The fire was later extinguished by officers from the Nairobi County Fire brigade.
The station was extensively damaged but no injuries were reported as members of the public quickly fled the scene.
The commission called on all employees of petrol stations to undergo adequate training on their emergency response plans. It also advised motorists to switch off their engines before fuelling.
