Two-year-old girl killed in suspected gas explosion

Residents at the scene of the fire incident in Arunda estate, Homa Bay Town. [James Omoro, Standard]

Police are investigating an incident where a two-year-old girl was killed when their house caught fire in Arunda estate, Homa Bay County.

The girl, identified as Anabel Talia, was burnt beyond recognition.

Her mother and nine-year-old brother were seriously injured during the incident.

The fire is suspected to have resulted from a gas cylinder explosion.

The boy reportedly inserted a burner into the gas cylinder, but when fire was lit it exploded.

The incident occurred when the girl’s mother was preparing food while her father had gone to the bathroom outside the house.

Their neighbour Amleah Adongo, said efforts to put out the fire were futile.

“I noticed smoke in the affected house and rushed to help. I found the fire had already engulfed the entire room. I tried to put it out using a blanket but my efforts were unsuccessful,” Adongo said.

Another neighbor, John Ochieng' said the fire burnt all the property in the house.

He appealed to the Kenya Red Cross Society and the Homa Bay County Government to assist the affected families with relief aid.

“The affected family is in dire need of help because all their household items have been destroyed by the fire,” Ochieng said.

Mary Nyauke, the landlady, said the fire burnt her four houses.

“I call on the county government and other well-wishers to support the affected families,” Nyauke said.

Homa Bay Sub-county Police Commander William Adenyo said they were investigating the incident.

Adenyo said preliminary investigations revealed that the incident resulted from failure to tighten a gas burner properly.

“Preliminary investigations reveal that the boy who was tightening the gas did not do so properly, leading to gas leakage. We are going on with investigations,” he said.

The police boss urged parents avoid asking children to handle anything involving petrol, gas or electricity to avert disaster.

“Children are not conscious of the danger a gas cooker can cause. Parents should avoid engaging children in handling gas cookers, electricity, petrol or any other risky source of energy,” he said.

The girl’s body was removed to Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital Mortuary.