In the wake of the devastating gas explosion that rocked Embakasi, Nairobi, on February 1, 2024, questions abound regarding the safety protocols, environmental impacts, and regulatory oversight surrounding the incident. Evans Omuya, a witness to the incident, recounts the harrowing moments as the community grapples with the aftermath. Amidst conflicting narratives about the property’s activities before the explosion, this digital investigation utilizes satellite imagery, public records, and eyewitness testimonies to unravel the layers of complexity behind this tragic event.
Omuya is standing over a partially built building on February 6, 2024, at roughly 11:00 in the morning. A charred black leather jacket he is wearing gives away what the past few days have been like for him. He has burns on the back of his neck and his eyes bear the scars of restless nights. But that is not how he remembers that evening. Omuya, just like the majority of people living in this area, was home. At first, he says, he thought it was an explosion from a transformer. But when the commotion persisted, he went outside only to find the property adjacent to his apartment on fire.
Moments later, news headlines and social media were awash with information about the explosion which preliminary reports indicated had been caused by the explosion of an LPG truck parked on the property. This user-video shared by Nation Media captures a huge cloud of smoke rising from the property across Nyayo Estate, Phase 1. Evidence that the explosion was caused by something bigger than a faulty transformer, not as Omuya had suspected.
Several people injured in late night fire outbreak in Embakasi following a series of explosions pic.twitter.com/sdSC61y4GS
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) February 1, 2024
An analysis of Google’s street view, relying on the angle of the video posted by NTV, the explosion had taken place just across some residential apartments, in Nyayo Estate, Phase 1. Right across the road is a property with several motor vehicles parked on it, according to satellite images.
Once this incident made headlines, Mr Wandugi Karathe, a lawyer representing the owner of the property, Derrick Kimathi, made a statement to the media dismissing claims that the property was operating as a gas-filling site.
In this video published on YouTube, the lawyer says his client had been operating a garage until the day of the incident. Mr Wandugi explains that the tanker that caused this explosion was trespassing on this property.
Now, Mr Kimathi’s lawyer explains why this is the case. In 2023, he says, his client, a transporter who deals in energy products had applied for a license for a gas-filling plant but was declined. Meanwhile, the premises operated as a garage where motor vehicles are repaired.
Google satellite images between 2007 and 2023 show what looks like parked lorries, containers, LPG tankers and petroleum tankers. This is evidenced by videos taken by Africa Uncensored, which confirm the existence of these motor vehicles within this premise.
The truck could have been packed with its cabin facing Nyayo Estate and its back facing the gate overlooking Skyline Estate. Physical assessments of this property show that the exploded tanker was in a static position, somewhere at the centre of this property. Thus, much wreckage and notable impact was experienced at the front yard and neighbouring properties, to the right, left and those across the road. Ten of the trucks packed on this property were completely wrecked. (See screengrabs below).
According to satellite imagery, captured by Google Earth, in 2023, there are possibly four buildings within this property—two of which are significant to this investigation. The first is a structure adjacent to the gate overlooking Skyline Estate, seemingly used by security guards. The second, whose entrance is about 220 feet from the entrance of the first structure, is visually bigger than the rest.
Its significance is detailed in a video by Citizen Digital. The video shows the inside of this particular structure which captures what looks like an LPG storage tank with valves. Minute 00’31” – 00’41” shows a tanker with valves and gas cylinders in this building.
Nairobi Police boss Adamson Bungei visits site of gas explosion in Embakasi after residents report suspected leakage. pic.twitter.com/ElEV9Gc8Na
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) February 5, 2024
According to extractions from Google Maps and Google Earth, this property has four gates, but only one is frequently used. To put this into context, Google Earth shows a dirt road linking the first gate (labeled; Gate 1) with another (labeled Gate 2), leading to the backyard of this property. Between 2021 and late 2022, satellite images show a wall that divides this property into two.
Comparing the terrains of the front and back yard of this property, the latter shows minimal activity. According to Google Earth, a significant number of tracks started appearing on this property beginning in 2011 and are densely distributed towards the front yard of this property. This explains why a part of this property is greener than another. These trucks are captured by Google Earth from 2011, through to 2024. Since the front yard of this property is more utilized than the back it therefore explains why the first building, possibly a structure used by guards, is positioned closest to the first entrance.
Omuya has lived in this neighbourhood for 14 years, during which time he claims that this property has been used as a garage during the day. However, he alleges that the activities continued late into the night raising suspicion. On February 1, 2024, his suspicions were confirmed when an explosion occurred on this premise.
He recalls the closure of two of these businesses for suspicions of operating a gas refilling station. One of them, whose name is linked to this incident, is Kentainers Limited. In a statement published on February 2, 2024, the company clarified allegations of its connection to this explosion.
“In light of the recent media reports associating Kentainers Limited with the tragic explosion in Embakasi on February 1, 2024, we have an important clarification to share. Kentainers Limited had relocated!” The press release reads.
“Our operations are now and currently based in Nairobi Gate Industrial Park, Northlands area, not in Embakasi.” It adds.
On February 3, 2024, the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) suspended four of its officials for allegedly issuing a compliance license to this establishment where an explosion took place.
“After a thorough assessment of the licensing procedure and processes the Board of Management has noted with great concern some serious gaps in the issuance of the license to the LPG plant in question,” a statement by the environmental regulatory body reads.
Following these findings, the statement further highlights that a report which was submitted to NEMA on July 29, 2020, (No. NEMA/PR/5/2/23790) as a project report by the Proponent Derdols Petroleum Limited under the business name of Maxxis Nairobi Energy, was classified as medium risk as per regulations of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Audit Amendment regulations of 2019.
A company search on the Business Registration Service (BRS), links Mr Derrick Kimathi and Derdols Tech Services as shareholders of Derdols Petroleum Limited.
After a review, on July 28, 2022, a number of issues were raised from the project report. This as listed in the statement was “clarity on the land ownership,” and “evidence of undertaking consultation with immediate neighbours of Nyayo Estate Residents Association.”
These issues were addressed by the project proponent on August 22, 2022. On February 2, 2023, a year before the explosion, a decision was made to issue an EIA license (No. NEMA/EIA/PSL/23819) to the proposed project. This means it was licensed to operate as a medium-risk LPG plant.
Under section 32 of the Environmental Management and Coordination Act of 2019, before approval, a project proponent specified as either being low or medium risk shall submit to the authority a summary project report of the likely environmental effect of the project.
Therefore, as per the statement by NEMA, a project report submitted by the Proponent Derdols Petroleum, was made in July 2020 and by February 2023, a license was issued as proof that this project neither posed any environmental risk to the area nor that there was conformity to land use plan or zonation plan, among other regulations.
An analysis on Google Earth, between early 2020 and early 2023, shows a densely populated area, neighbouring this plot of land. According to videos and images taken after the explosion, most of the structures adjacent to this property were made of corrugated iron sheets, with a few apartment blocks. This is based on areas which possibly experienced immense wreckage after the explosion. (Compare screengrabs below).
On February 6, 2024, detectives apprehended Derrick Kimathi and three other NEMA officials with charges of murder, conspiracy to commit a felony, negligence and abuse of office.
This investigation is an analysis of openly available information blended with the experiences of residents living in this area and is not conclusive evidence of what happened since the incident is still under investigation.
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