Two people were killed and at least 10 others injured after a petrol tanker caught fire near Paul Boit Secondary School along the Eldoret-Turbo Road in Uasin Gishu County, in an incident that left several victims with serious burns.
The victims had reportedly gathered around the tanker after it broke down and started leaking petrol, with some attempting to collect the fuel before the fire suddenly erupted.
Rift Valley Regional Police Commander Samuel Ndanyi on Friday said two bodies had been recovered from the scene, while other victims were rescued and taken to different hospitals.
Officials said 10 people had been evacuated to various health facilities following the incident. Some of those taken to hospital were said to have suffered severe burns, raising concerns that the death toll could increase.
The fire broke out on Thursday night and prompted a mass casualty response as emergency personnel moved in to deal with the blaze and rescue those caught in the incident.
The Kenya Red Cross joined the response, deploying teams to the scene alongside officers from the Kenya Police Service and firefighters.
“Kenya Red Cross is on the ground responding in collaboration with Kenya Police and firefighters,” the organisation said in a statement at around 10:30 pm on Thursday.
A multi-agency operation continued through the night, with the fire reportedly brought under control at about 4 am on Friday.
However, authorities had not established the exact cause of the fire, while the full number of people affected was still being assessed.
Emergency personnel remained at the scene to examine the area, support the rescue operation and gather information on what happened before the tanker went up in flames.
Motorists were also asked to keep off the affected section of the Eldoret-Bungoma Highway to give emergency teams clear access as rescue efforts and investigations continued.
Multi-agency teams remained deployed at the scene as authorities worked to determine the circumstances of the fire and establish the final casualty figures.
The incident has renewed attention on the risks faced when petrol tankers carrying highly flammable products are involved in road accidents or develop faults.
Several similar incidents in the past have resulted in the deaths of dozens of people, particularly after members of the public gathered around damaged tankers to collect leaking fuel.
The deadliest of the incidents cited was the Sachangwan tragedy in Nakuru on January 31, 2009 where more than 100 people died after a fire broke out as people collected fuel that was spilling from a tanker.