Nanyuki apartment complex evacuated after bomb scare

Onlookers near the scene on Saturday morning. PHOTO | MWANGI NDIRANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • It turned out that the pieces of metal were dummies used by British soldiers during training and had been sold as scrap metals to a dealer.
  • The metal dealer, who also operates a hardware shot, was taken to Nanyuki Police Station for questioning.

Dozens of people were evacuated from their houses on Friday night after a bomb scare at an apartment complex in Nanyuki town.

Police responded to reports of suspicious metals at the four-storey residential building.

Residents were evacuated from their houses as bomb experts assessed the apartment for nearly 15 hours.

But it turned out that the 152 pieces of metal, each weighing 15 kilogrammes were dummy bombs used by British soldiers during training and had been sold as scrap metals to a dealer.

Nanyuki police boss Simon Kipkeu declared the building safe at 12pm on Saturday to the relief of the tenants who had been forced to seek alternative shelter for the night.

“The scrap metal dealer has been keeping them since 2010 unable to get a market. It was not until recently a potential customer reported to the chief that someone was selling bombs,” said Mr Kipkeu.

The police boss later addressed anxious members of the public who had kept vigil near the building, giving assurance that the dummy bombs cannot explode. 

Some of the dummy bombs found inside a room in a building in Nanyuki town. PHOTO | MWANGI NDIRANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

The metal dealer, who also operates a hardware shot, was taken to Nanyuki Police Station for questioning.